DISPUTED TERRITORY II RESULTS

The scene opens upon a battlefield, the land ravaged by those who have fought to claim it as their own. The camera pans across the decimated landscape, open flames and walls of smoke serving as a grim reminder of what has taken place. As “Enemies” by The Score plays in the background, the deep voice of Trey Booker narrates the scene…

♫Goodbye to my enemies, to my enemies
They try to beat me but I won't surrender
Fear won't be the death of me, d-d-d-death of me
I won't go quietly into the night♫

TREY BOOKER: The Proving Ground. It’s a place where weapons are tested. Where tactics and strategies are employed, modified, and then assessed all over again. For the stars of Project: Honor, it is a place to validate themselves against their peers. To prove their superiority. To emerge worthy of facing the best. One team out of six will have this opportunity by surviving the turmoil as Proving Ground turns into Disputed Territory.

Emerging from their shared foxhole are Johnny Levy and Giovanni, clad in the most stylish camouflage ever seen on the screen. They are met on the battlefield by Julius Fairweather and Slade Castle, who lower their bayonets and charge without hesitation. In the sky above them, a dogfight erupts between two biplanes, one serving as the war machine for Betsy Gallagher and Lexi Gold, the other housing both members of The Phantom Troupe. We then scan down and to the left, where TJ Thompson parachutes to the side of Cadillac Jackson, who’s under the barrage of artillery cannons manned by Diana and Mikey Hero.

♫My pain is a memory, a m-m-memory
Pouring over like the stormy weather
Won't get the best of me, b-b-b-best of me
I won't go quietly into the light♫

TREY BOOKER: Proving Ground’s championship titles not only serve as a symbol of accomplishment but also of status. History tells us that the Grand Championship held by Arata Asakura stands at the top, but with a reign of over two hundred days to their name, MYOJIN may not see it that way. So they will battle, not only to retain their prized possession, but to strip the other of their status.

On one side of the battlefield, an army of samurai warriors displaying the banner of Arata Asakura can be seen, the horse-mounted soldiers determined to achieve a glorious victory. While on the opposite side of the field, an equally-sized army of highly trained ninjas raise the banner of their lord, MYOJIN.

♫'Cause I believe underneath
I won't ever lose composure
No defeat, won't retreat
Hold the line until it's over
All my scars are tattoos, they're a work of art
I believe, underneath
I was born to be a soldier♫

TREY BOOKER: But what happens when someone refuses to accept their place in the order of things? When they rebel against the accepted parameters of their brand? Swindle Shelldrake is one such rebel, refusing to acknowledge either Arata or MYOJIN as his peer, let alone his superior. He vows to rise from nothing to usurp the prestige both of his opponents have fought to earn.

Just as the armies of samurai and ninjas near one another, a Panzer rolls between them with Swindle Shelldrake rising from the cockpit, unwilling to let either side emerge victorious without suffering casualties in the process.

♫Reaching for my destiny
Goodbye to my enemies
Goodbye to my enemies♫

TREY BOOKER: The same could be said of John Blade, a three-time title winner who chooses to elevate his own position on the battlefield by accepting the open challenge of Billy Bennett. Tonight, he fights to earn his own opportunity. The opportunity to etch his name alongside those of Elena DeDraca…Syndicate…and Ozymandias. To cement his legacy in the annals of time.

With an M-60 machine gun tucked under each of his muscularly-toned arms, John Blade fires off twin bursts, turning a nearby building into little more than toothpicks. It looks as if nothing can oppose him, when stepping out from behind a large mound of white powder is Billy Bennett. She takes aim with her M-16 before exclaiming, ‘Say hello to my little friend’.

♫Fight 'til the end of me, 'til the end of me
Did you think that it would be that easy?
This ain't a tragedy, a tr-tr-tragedy
I'm not going six feet in the ground♫

TREY BOOKER: But not all battles erupting throughout this Disputed Territory are about championship glory. Some are more personal in nature. For Kurtis Slayne, it is the culmination of a year’s work, a year of relentlessly stalking his prey. For Indy Darling, it is the chance to close the book on a dark chapter of his past, so that the legacy of his father may endure. For them it is not simply Disputed Territory, but a disputed bloodline as well.

While Indy and his half-brother are absent from the special-effects laden opening, the same cannot be said of Serrano Poblano. He marches through waist-deep water with a grenade in one hand and a trench knife in the other. Suddenly, emerging from the murky water behind him, is Willem Dafoe, who holds his own knife to Serrano’s throat before slicing it open to create a ridiculous arterial spray.

♫It's not a fever dream, it's reality
Cut me open and my heart's still beating
Healed from my injuries, now I'm on my feet
I'm not going six feet in the ground♫

TREY BOOKER: To say that these warriors will fight through hell and back to achieve their goals is perhaps, an overused idiom. But try telling that to the eight individuals who will claw and scratch to drag their tortured bodies through an inhumane structure, all for a prize shrouded in secrecy. For tonight, it is not just Proving Ground that is considered to be Disputed Territory, but also the Gates of Hell themselves.

The flames of the battlefield grow higher and higher, until everyone is seemingly consumed by them. Yet despite this new hellish landscape, a select few continue to fight. Emmanuelle and Stella Jade clash with swords, James Raymond and Declan O’Connor hurl throwing axes at one another, while Brandon Hendrix, Douglas Crane, and SIN toss their empty handguns aside in order to resort to hand-to-hand combat.

♫'Cause I believe underneath
I won't ever lose composure
No defeat, won't retreat
Hold the line until it's over
All my scars are tattoos, they're a work of art
I believe, underneath
I was born to be a soldier♫

Amongst all this chaos and bloodshed, Casanova English leans against a wall dotted with bullet holes as he lights up a cigarette. Then, with a casual flick of his wrist, he tosses his silver lighter aside, setting off a chain reaction of explosions that bring the cinematic opening to a close…

♫Reaching for my destiny
Goodbye to my enemies
Goodbye to my enemies
Goodbye to my enemies♫


The explosions on screen morph to explosions of pyro throughout Newark, New Jersey’s Prudential Center as the sold-out crowd wave their signs in the air!

“GODDESSES > DRIP DADDIES”
“WELCOME TO THE SIDESHOW”
“IF HENDRIX WINS WE RIOT”
“BILLY CAN’T SEE BLADE CAUSE SHE’S HIGH”
“CUNTIS STAYNE”

Finally, the cameras land on the ringside announce position where the commentary team is standing by to kick things off!

TREY BOOKER: Welcome to the second annual Disputed Territory! I’m your host as always, Trey Booker, alongside my erstwhile companion, J.T. Price! Say hello to the fine folks at home, J.T.!

J.T. PRICE: Hello.

TREY BOOKER: As the sexy voice-over stated during the opening montage, we’ve got a loaded show for you tonight filled with high-stakes matches and championship bouts! So let’s not waste another second! Now let’s send it over to Marshall Greene for our exclusive Sideshow Preview match!




Immediately upon seeing the ring, we notice that we are not actually INSIDE of the Prudential Center. Instead we are on the Mulberry Commons, to the east of the Prudential Center. A ring has been constructed in the grassy area, while hundreds of fans huddle around the barricade that has been set up about ten feet around the ring. Quickly we see that this ring has been modified. Each turnbuckle has a large circular lightbulb on it, the ropes all have light tubes tied around them, bundles of light tubes lay around the ring, and this isn’t counting all the little additional weapons under and around the ring.

MARSHALL GREENE: LADIES AND GENTLEMAN…

While the five competitors are surrounding the ring, our announcer stands off to the side, next to the announcer’s table.

MARSHALL GREENE: …tonight Project: Honor and Proving Ground host our inaugural Sideshow event! Tonight, five of the available Oddities will battle to be the first one to receive…this!

Everyone turns to look at Marshall Greene, who is holding up a gold medallion with a picture of a bundle of light tubes on it.

MARSHALL GREENE: For those who don’t know…this is the Light Tube Specialist medallion. Let me explain the rules here. Every week on Sideshow, the ‘Specialist’ who holds one of the many deathmatch medallions, will have their medallion placed on the line. To keep it? They just need to win. If they lose, of course they lose the medallion. BUT…the whole point is to get seven of the countless deathmatch medallions and place them in the Ringmaster Championship title, to become the Season One Sideshow Champion!

The fans surrounding the makeshift ring cheer.

MARSHALL GREENE: Again, every week, every medallion will be in play. While there are only one of each type, one of our Oddities only needs to procure seven of them, to be crowned Ringmaster Champion. And tonight…as if me saying this is overkill, we will award the Light tube Medallion!!!

The Oddities surrounding the ring clap.

MARSHALL GREENE: SO LET ME INTRODUCE YOU TO OUR ODDITIES…SHALL I?!?!

The lights around the ring go out as a spotlight from a makeshift tower shines down onto the Oddities one by one.

MARSHALL GREENE: Weighing in at two-hundred pounds and hailing from Newark, New Jersey…BOBBY BEEEEENNNNEEETTT!!!

The spotlight shines down onto Bobby, who the fans pop loudly for.

MARSHALL GREENE: Weighing in at two-hundred and thirty-one pounds and hailing from Bakersfield, California…DARIUS WWAAAAALLLKKKEERRR!!!

The spotlight moves to Darius, the fans cheering again.

MARSHALL GREENE: Weighing in at one-hundred and fifteen pounds and hailing from Anaheim, California…KIT DAAAARRRLLLLIIINNNGGG!!!

The spotlight moves over to Kit, but the fans have already unleashed a LOUD roar of approval for the former Pursuit Of The Ring star.

MARSHALL GREENE: Weighing in at one-hundred and seventy-five pounds and hailing from wherever his journey takes him…NIX KIIIINNNNGGGG!!!

Nix King tips his cap as the spotlight hits him, the fans exploding into cheers.

MARSHALL GREENE: And finally, weighing in at two-hundred and ten pounds and hailing from Murdercity, Detroit, Michigan…OMAR KIIIINNNGGG!!!

The fans waste no time in releasing a tidal wave of boos onto the current Pursuit Of The Ring star and possible future POTR Season One Champion.

MARSHALL GREENE: Just so all five of you know…AS WELL AS YOU WONDERFUL FANS KNOW…the winner is the first to score a pinfall or submission. If one of you five give up or say you can’t compete any longer for the night…then you will be eliminated, but no one will be crowned the victor off of some pussy-ass scrub giving up because he has a boo-boo…understand?

The five Oddities around the ring nod their head in approval.

DING! DING! DING!

PAUL QUINTON: AND WE ARE OFF!!! Hello fans and welcome to the shadiest show this side of Scranton, Pennsylvania! I am your announcer tonight, taking a break both physically and mentally from Project: Honor’s first failed Limited Run show, Pursuit Of The Ring, …Paul Quinton. And next to me is the lovely-

While Paul introduces himself, Darius Walker and Nix King are the first two to clash, as the ‘Realest Motherfucker’ Darius grabs a machete that was setting up against the ring, and lifts it to swing at The Seeker. But before he can attack with the weapon, Nix lands a quick kick to the side of Darius’ knee, a quick chop that knocks Walker back and causes him to drop the weapon, then an elbow strike to the bridge of the nose. Darius stumbles back into Bobby, who was planning his first attack.

CORA FRYE: -and finally free from that boring ass judging job, Cora Frye.

Bobby grabs Darius Walker and turns him around…AND SINKS HIS TEETH INTO DARIUS’ NECK!!!

PAUL QUINTON: Oh judging couldn’t be THAT bad. Could be worse. You could have to talk to those clowns every show.

Bobby finally pulls away, revealing a large bite mark on Darius’ neck, blood rising up to just below the skin. Meanwhile, inside the ring, Kit Darling was trying to fend off an attack from Omar King and a golf club he found laying on the ground. These two actually have history together as Kit Darling beat Omar King in their first ever Pursuit Of The Ring match. While Kit was pregnant and the match ended up being a Thumb War, it is of no concern. The next time they faced, Omar and three others took home the victory when Kit’s team was kidnapped by this very same Sideshow group of ne’er-do-wells.

CORA FRYE: At least you didn’t have guests hitting on you. DeMarco keeps giving me googly eyes and Serrano Poblano wanted to know if I would suck the capsicum oil out of his anaheim chili pepper. While I didn’t mind the attention from Christian, Serrano needs to stay in his lane.

Omar lunges forward with a Billy-Madison-esque swing that catches Kit Darling underneath the chin and instantly splits it open. The Disney Darling stumbles back up against the ropes, the noises of the light tubes touching each other ring out. Omar King charges forward for the clothesline to send Kit out of the ring…BUT KIT DARLING MOVES AND OMAR BOUNCES OFF THE ROPES!!! BUT THE LIGHT TUBES STOP MUCH OF THE MOMENTUM AS A FEW OF THEM EXPLODE IN A WHITE POWDERY DUST CLOUD! Omar steps out of the mercury cloud, his chest bleeding in spots. Kit Darling moves towards Omar with a handspring, THAT TURNS INTO A BACK ELBOW SMASH!

PAUL QUINTON: CIRCLE OF LIFE BY KIT DARLING! Omar stumbles back up against the ropes, the broken tubes look to be digging into his back.

Omar, still blinded by the recent explosion of mercury, doesn’t see Kit Darling take a few steps back…then EXPLODE forward! She charges…jumps…AND SLAMS INTO OMAR…SENDING BOTH OF THEM OVER THE TOP ROPE…AND CRASHING THROUGH A TABLE THAT NIX KING HAD SET UP ON THE OUTSIDE!!!

CORA FRYE: Good timing, by the World Traveler.

Kit, not paying attention to anything but the pain and Omar, throws an arm over him.

ONE!

TW-

Nix King grabs Kit Darling by the hair and lifts her up to her feet. Kit fights to get loose, but not before King leads her over to the stairs…which are COVERED in short light tubes. Nix pulls back…AND SLAMS KIT DARLING’S FACE OFF OF THE TOP STEP! POWDER EXPLODES AS KIT GASPS FOR AIR! She reels back, her face cut and bleeding in multiple spots. Nix pulls Kit back to the stairs and starts eyeing up that next stop…

PAUL QUINTON: OH FUCK!

BUT BOBBY BENNETT JUST SLAMMED A FIRE EXTINGUISHER INTO THE BACK OF NIX’S HEAD…SENDING HIM CRASHING ONTO THE SECOND AND THIRD STEP! Nix’s arms are cut wide open as he grabs at the growing lump on the back of his head. Kit rubs her eyes as her vision is coming back from being blocked by the powder, only to see Darius Walker grab Bobby Bennett from behind. Bobby tries to fight him off…BUT OMAR KING GRABS DARIUS FROM BEHIND INSTEAD! Omar turns Darius around…AND TASES THE EVER LIVING SHIT OUT OF HIM!

CORA FRYE: DID HE TAKE THAT TASER FROM MY PURSE???

Darius drops to the ground, convulsing. Meanwhile Omar lunges forward with the taser towards Bobby, but the Python sidesteps Omar, causing the King to stumble up against the steps…AND KIT DARLING RUNS OVER, JUMPING OVER THE STAIRS, AND HITS A BULLDOG ONTO OMAR. OMAR’S FACE IS DRIVEN INTO THE GLASS COVERED METAL STEP!!!

PAUL QUINTON: Darius is out of commission on the ground…and now it seems like Omar is too. Nix King is to his feet and slides into the ring, quickly followed by Bobby Bennett.

Nix turns and looks at Bobby, tipping the edge of his cap to him. The young Bennett charges forward instead, lunging at King Nix, only for Nix to sidestep him. But as Bennett breezes past, Nix grabs his own hat and swipes it at the outstretched arm of Bobby. When they both stop moving and look at each other, we can see Bobby’s arm is cut and there is blood dripping from a razor-brimmed gatsby hat. Bobby charges towards Nix again…and once again Nix moves. But this time Bobby is ready as he pivots and grabs Nix, lifting him up into the air and PLANTING HIM INTO THE MAT WITH A LIFTING SIDE SLAM!!!

CORA FRYE: Bobby to his feet…BUT KIT IS ON THE APRON WHERE SHE AND OMAR BROKE THE TUBES!

She grabs the rope, ignoring the leftover glass that is biting into her fingers, and SLINGSHOTS HERSELF TO THE TOP ROPE! SHE JUMPS…BUT BOBBY BENNETT CATCHES HER IN MID-AIR…ONLY TO TOSS HER INTO THE AIR! KIT DARLING COMES DOWN HARD, FACE-FIRST, ONTO THE LIGHTBULB LAYING ON THE TOP TURNBUCKLE! Kit slams her face hard, piercing her skin with the now broken lightbulb. Blood pours down her face as she very wobbly steps backward away from the corner. Kit turns around, but instead of Bobby or Nix…it’s Omar King, who had slid into the ring behind Nix. He charges forward and UNLEASHES A DROPKICK, SENDING KIT CRASHING INTO THE LIGHT TUBE COVERED ROPES! Kit bounces back and drops to her knees. Omar reaches forward and grabs her arms..KAMIGOYE!!!

PAUL QUINTON: OFF WITH YA HEAD BY OMAR AND KIT IS OUT COLD!

But before Omar could take advantage of the situation, he turns to look to see if he can cause more damage…AND CATCHES A DISCUS LARIAT TO THE FACE BY BOBBY BENNETT!!! WHITE LIGHTNING ONTO OMAR KING, DROPS HIM TO THE MAT!

CORA FRYE: This could be it here!

Bobby smiles at the crowd…BUT IS TURNED AROUND BY NIX KING! Nix with the kick to the gut…grabs Bobby…DDT ONTO THE LIGHT TUBE COVERED PIECE OF PLYWOOD HE BROUGHT INTO THE RING DURING ALL THE RUCKUS!!! Nix rolls off of Bobby, slightly exhausted by the quick and bloody action. His hand flaps out onto Omar…

ONE!

TWO!!

THREE!!!

DING! DING! DING!

MARSHALL GREENE: YOUR WINNER AND THE HOLDER OF THE LIGHT TUBE MEDALLION…NIX KIIIIINNNNGGGG!!!

The ref doesn’t even bother with the mess, most likely because he doesn’t want to get cut on all the broken light tubes in the ring. But he holds the medallion up on the outside, by the announcer’s table.


We go backstage where we find Crystal Ward standing by with a mic in hand as she stares at the camera, ready to conduct an interview.

CRYSTAL WARD: Ladies and gentlemen, I am proud of not only welcoming one guest, but two with me as they get ready to have an opportunity at the number one contenders for tag team titles tonight. They are Lexi Gold and Betsy Gallagher… The Golden Goddesses!

Lexi and Betsy both enter the frame at the same time and stand side by side next to each other, already in their ring gear, smiling and ready for battle as the crowd cheers on their favorite tag team.

CRYSTAL WARD: Ladies, how are you both feeling tonight?

LEXI GOLD: I am feeling good. I wasn't feeling so hot when we lost to Cadillac and TJ a few weeks ago, though, but we had time to refocus and strategize once again to make sure we don't make the same mistakes this time around. Not to sound cocky, Crystal, but I think we got this one in the bag. Ain't that right, B?

BETSY GALLAGHER: Yeah, definitely, definitely. Cadillac Jackson and TJ Thompson... They handed us our first loss in our first tag team match together, so we definitely need to keep our eyes open for them. We've also shared the ring with Diana and her tag team partner Mikey Hero, to whom I personally will be watching out for. Then there's Giovanni, with whom I've teamed with before, though the rest I've never wrestled. But I'm not worried. I'm confident even. You know why? Because I've got Lexi Gold watching my back.

BETSY GALLAGHER: Let me tell you something for nothing, Crystal, the road to the tag team titles is paved with gold, and we? We are the new gold standard of tag team wrestling here in Project Honor.

Lexi nods her head while popping her knuckles at the same time, loving what she was hearing.

LEXI GOLD: Damn right. I know we have our work cut out for us when we face five teams, but it's nothing we can't handle or overcome. We expect the road to those championships to be filled with road blocks and difficulty, to ensure there is a right fit for that number one contender's spot. There is no better team out there who fits that mold like us.

CRYSTAL WARD:: What can fans expect out there from the two of you? Are there any new moves you have been working on?

BETSY GALLAGHER: Yeah, we’re not telling you, and our competitors, anything of the sort. Not before the biggest match of our team’s career. You just have to watch the match, wait and see, like everyone else. I personally hate surprises, but what we have in store for you, our competitors, and everyone else watching? It’s going to be worth its weight in gold. GG!

LEXI GOLD: Never bet against GG baby. Now, if you'll excuse us, we have a match to get ready for.

Lexi and Betsy turn on their heels and leave the scene, leaving Crystal standing there.



HOLLY PEREZ: The following contest is a Tag Team Turmoil Match for a future shot at the Project: Honor World Tag Team Titles! Two teams will begin and when one of them is eliminated, another team will enter. This will continue until only one team remains! Now…the team that drew the first entry…

With the smooth sultry tones of Madonna's Vogue filling the air, the crowd turn their heads towards the entrance ramp. With a show of vivid colours and elaborate designs we eventually see the appearance of Giovanni strutting onto the stage with his muse hanging on his arm.

They only take in the atmosphere for a short while as Giovanni twiddles locks of his own hair between his fingers, and they move their way down the ramp.

HOLLY PEREZ: Making his way to the ring, accompanied by his 'One True Muse' Calliope, hailing from the beautiful art capital of Firenze, Italy. It's none other than Giovanni!

With the excessive elaborate announcement of his presence behind them, Giovanni helps Calliope get seated on the top turnbuckle. Leaning back himself letting Calliope massage the shoulders of the tortured artist as they await the start of proceedings.

Following Giovanni’s entrance, the lights dim in preparation for his tag team partner’s over-the-top entrance. It comes as a surprise then, when a few pathetic sparklers go off on the entrance stage, barely enough to illuminate Johnny Levy standing between them. He turns to shout a few curse words to the men behind the curtain as the lights return to normal, at which point “Loser” by Beck begins to play. It is definitely NOT Johnny’s normal entrance music, but with his tag team partner waiting for him, The Superstar cannot concern himself with the inept actions of Indy Darling’s hired stooges.

HOLLY PEREZ: And his partner, from the gutters of Hollywood and weighing in at a noticeable two hundred twenty-five pounds…he is incredibly average…JOHNNY LEVY!!!

Johnny immediately begins to shout obscenities at Holly Perez, who holds up her notecards to show that she’s only reading what she was given. Giovanni does his best to calm his partner’s nerves, but it’s clear that Levy is overly frustrated, not just at having to enter first but also at the shoddy treatment he’s been given.

HOLLY PEREZ: And introducing next…a pair of surprise entrants in tonight’s match…They are Herr Schmidt and Herr Krueger…INDY’S REICH!!!

The two enormous men who emerge through the curtains are clearly the same men who we formerly saw compete as the masked SYSTEM and ESTABLISHMENT, yet the feigned looks of surprise on Johnny and Giovanni’s faces would say otherwise. As the two incredibly tall and somewhat awkward men make their way to the ring, the announce team cannot help but question their appearance.

TREY BOOKER: Seriously?! Who does Levy think he’s fooling here? The screw-ups in his entrance may have very well been a slight jab from Indy Darling, but everyone knows those two monsters are on Johnny’s payroll!

J.T. PRICE: Don’t be absurd, Trey! Why would Johnny pay those large, clumsy men to fight him in an already grueling contest?

TREY BOOKER: Maybe because he wants to make Indy look bad while he and Giovanni look good in the process?

J.T. PRICE: Normally I’d disagree with you on general principle…but I don’t want to look that dumb. They’re totally in Levy’s back pocket…

DING! DING! DING!

Herr Schmidt steps over the top rope, but he’s immediately greeted by Johnny and Gio as they grab hold of him, run him across the ring, and hurl him over the top rope on the opposite side of the ring. Herr Krueger then makes his own entrance, but Levy quickly takes him to the mat with a drop toe hold, allowing Giovanni to hit a flying elbow drop to the back of the man’s oversized head. With that, Johnny applies a step over toe hold, and Herr Krueger is tapping before the move has even been fully executed.

HOLLY PEREZ: INDY’S REICH HAS BEEN ELIMINATED!!!

As Johnny and Giovanni give each other a celebratory hug, “The Hampster Dance Song” begins to play, signaling the arrival of their next opponents. Diana and Mikey Hero jog toward the ring with smiles on their faces, much to the delight of the fans, as Andrei Sokolov follows close behind them, an unhappy frown on his face.

HOLLY PEREZ: ENTERING NEXT…DIANA AND MIKEY HERO…

TREY BOOKER: At least that first round was short and sweet…

J.T. PRICE: The Reich taken down by a righteous team of allies in quick and decisive fashion? Seems legit…

TREY BOOKER: I still hope Diana and Mikey kick their asses…

HOLLY PEREZ: …and in addition, I have been informed that due to the shenanigans of Giovanni and Johnny Levy, if Giovanni is pinned for the remainder of the match, he will lose The Warrior Rising Championship!

A look of utter shock comes over Giovanni’s face before he quickly exits the ring, leaving his partner to face the next competitors. Levy does not look threatened by the underdog team approaching the ring, but Diana makes him think twice as she springboards off the top rope and plants Levy with a meteora! She quickly rolls to her feet, hits the ropes, and comes back to grab Johnny’s head with her legs before driving him down with a headscissor DDT!

Giovanni cheers on his partner from the safety of the ring apron, but Diana continues to hold the advantage as she hits The Bunny Stomp on Levy’s chest before going for a pin attempt…

ONE!

TWO!

KICKOUT!

Johnny immediately tries to make the tag after escaping the fall, but Diana stops him by grabbing him from behind and dropping him with a German suplex! She rolls him back to his feet, uses all her strength to lift him up, and then drives him down headfirst with her Sweetheart Drop brainbuster! She quickly leaps on top of Levy for another pin attempt…

ONE!

TWO!

TH - KICKOUT!

Johnny once again leaps toward his corner, but this time Diana grabs him by the ankle. Johnny tries to escape with an enzuigiri, but Diana ducks under the kick and allows Levy to fall to the mat. Then, still with a grip on his leg, she locks in an STF! The hold is locked in tight but Johnny is nearly to his corner! He reaches out to make the tag, but instead of complying and putting his title at risk, Giovanni instead kicks his leg through the ropes to kick Diana in the head!

The hold is broken but Giovanni is still reluctant to enter the match and have his title on the line, so when Levy tries to convince him to tag, Diana is able to roll up The Superstar from behind with a school boy…

ONE!

TWO!

THR - KICKOUT!

Still hoping to leave the match, Johnny goes for yet another tag, but when Diana spins him around, he suddenly hits a cutter out of nowhere! The Energy Bunny is clearly stunned, as Levy shows off a big grin and Giovanni nods at him with satisfaction. Now that she’s on the defensive, Giovanni agrees to tag in and immediately starts putting the boots to Diana! He then grabs her and shoves her into a corner before unloading his Clearing the Canvas chop combination. He backs away to allow Diana out of the corner, but then springs off the ropes and spins in mid-air, catching her with a hard DDT on his way down!

With Diana prone on the canvas, Giovanni goes to the top and signals for his Master of the Canvas, but Diana rolls away at the last second and he crashes on the mat! With Gio stunned, Diana immediately rolls to her corner, bringing Mikey Hero into the match!

TREY BOOKER: That was a great showing by Diana, but let’s see how Mikey does!

J.T. PRICE: That also means Mikey now has a chance to win the Warrior Rising Title if he can pin Gio…

Mikey enters the match by springboarding off the top, dropping a leg across the back of Giovanni’s head. He then goes to the ropes and comes back with a running boot to the face before hitting a standing moonsault on the stunned champion…

ONE!

TWO!

KICKOUT!

Hoping to finish Giovanni off once and for all, Mikey goes to the top and flies off for his Big Splash, but Gio pulls up his knees and Mikey lands hard on top of them! Now in serious trouble, Mikey goes to his corner to bring Diana back in, but just as he gets there, Andrei pulls Diana down from the apron, refusing to let her tag back in! She tries to talk some sense into her boyfriend, but Mikey is left with no one to tag. He turns back toward the ring and…BAM! Starstruck superkick from Giovanni!

ONE!

TWO!

THREE!

HOLLY PEREZ: DIANA AND MIKEY HERO HAVE BEEN ELIMINATED!

Still stunned from the kick, Mikey rolls out of the ring as Giovanni and Johnny Levi celebrate their second victory. He spins Andrei around, hoping to get an explanation, but instead he gets a hard right hand that knocks him to the floor!

TREY BOOKER: Something tells me that Sokolov does not approve of Mikey and Diana’s partnership…

J.T. PRICE: That doesn’t matter, Trey! Giovanni and Johnny are still going strong in this match!

HOLLY PEREZ: INTRODUCING NEXT…THE MOTOR CITY PSYCHOS…JULIUS FAIRWEATHER AND SLADE CASTLE!!!

Julius and Slade waste no time in charging toward the ring, determined not to give Johnny or Gio a chance to catch their breath! Castle immediately tackles Giovanni to the mat and begins to unload rights and lefts on him, and when Johnny comes in to make the save, he’s met by the Foot Fucking Master kick from Julius! The impact sends Johnny tumbling backwards between the ropes, which gives the Psychos an opportunity to hit Giovanni with one of their tandem moves! Castle locks in the Lights Out and Fairweather winds up…delivering the Royale with Cheese! Giovanni is down as Castle goes for the cover and possibly the Warrior Rising Title…

ONE!

TWO!

THREE - NO!

Johnny reaches under the ropes to grab Giovanni’s foot and pull him to safety before the referee can finish his count. The champion is clearly stunned from the sudden attack, not to mention what he had already been through with Mikey and Diana. Johnny Levy can be heard shouting about Indy Darling’s favoritism and prejudice as he grabs Gio’s Warrior Rising Title from the time keeper. With Levy supporting him on one side and Calliope on the other, Giovanni is escorted safely away from the ring, completely unconcerned with the referee’s count.

HOLLY PEREZ: GIOVANNI AND JOHNNY LEVY HAVE BEEN ELIMINATED BY COUNT-OUT!

Johnny and Calliope continue to lead Giovanni away from the ring, giving up on their tag team title pursuits for the time being in order to save the Warrior Rising Title. As they make their exit with Johnny loudly complaining the entire time, the next team begins to make their entrance…

HOLLY PEREZ: INTRODUCING NEXT…THE PHANTOM TROUPE…DJ HUNTER AND KYLE VALENTINE!!!

TREY BOOKER: The Warrior Rising Title is out of the picture, but a shot at tag team gold is still on the line!

J.T. PRICE: And speaking of tag team gold, both of these teams are former champions!

DJ Hunter gets into the ring quickly and begins trading punches with Slade Castle as Kyle and Julius encourage them from the ring apron. With the size advantage, Castle begins to win out on the exchange, but as he backs DJ against the ropes, Kyle leaps up to kick Slade in the face from the apron. It knocks Castle back enough for Hunter to get a running start before hitting a spear and immediately transitioning it into a roll up…

ONE!

TWO!

KICKOUT!

Julius is halfway into the ring when Slade kicks out, drawing the referee’s attention. As he warns Julius to remain in his corner, Kyle goes to the top buckle and nails Slade with a missile dropkick as DJ holds him in place. Following the impact, Hunter flips Castle backwards with a German Suplex and holds him on the mat…

ONE!

TWO!

TH - KICKOUT!

DJ maintains his hold on Castle and attempts to hit a second German, but Slade counters with a few back elbows to the jaw. DJ quickly rushes back in to keep his advantage, but Castle greets him by lifting him off the mat and spinning him back down with a hard spinebuster! With the wind knocked out his opponent, Slade is able to make the tag, bringing Julius Fairweather into the ring! Hunter tries to greet Julius with a right hand, but it’s blocked before Fairweather unloads a combination of shuffling jabs, finishing it off with a swinging right uppercut that drops DJ to the mat!

ONE!

TWO!

KICKOUT!

TREY BOOKER: Great back and forth between these two teams so far! They haven’t met since The Motor City Psychos lost the tag team titles, and you can tell there’s still bad blood between these four men!

J.T. PRICE: Both teams feel like they have a title rematch coming to them, but only the winner of this match is guaranteed that opportunity!

Julius locks DJ in a side headlock before unloading a series of uppercut punches at his face, then hooks both of his arms for his signature double underhook piledriver! Instead of going for another cover, Julius looks to hit a high impact move as he goes to the top rope! His leap is on target, but DJ lifts up his leg at the last minute and Julius crotches it in a very painful way! With his opponent stunned, Hunter quickly rolls to his corner and brings Kyle into the match! Valentine immediately goes to the top and flies with with a diving forearm that takes Julius of fhis feet! Fairweather quickly starts to pull himself up, but Kyle is back on him with a curb stomp followed by a pin attempt!

ONE!

TWO!

KICKOUT!

With Fairweather dazed, Kyle pulls him off the mat and hits a suplex…then another…and another to complete the trifecta! With Julius down on the mat again, Kyle once again goes to the top, this time flying off with a picture-perfect frog splash!

ONE!

TWO!

THR - NO!

Castle dives in to break up the pin attempt, which brings DJ Hunter back into the match as well! The two men once again start to exchange rights and lefts until they finally spill between the ropes to the ringside floor. Their brawl is enough of a distraction for the referee that he fails to notice Julius digging in his tights for his signature pair of brass knuckles. He slips them over his fingers and as soon as Kyle grabs him for his next offensive maneuver…WHAM! Royale with Cheese! Julius stuffs the knucks back in his tights and makes the cover, but the referee is still distracted! Finally, he turns his attention back to the ring and begins to count…

ONE!

TWO!

THREE!

NO!

DJ manages to grab Kyle’s foot and get it over the bottom rope and draws the referee’s attention to it at the very last second! Of course this angers Julius to no end and he slides out of the ring to confront DJ Hunter! After a brief verbal exchange, Julius shoves DJ into the guardrail and winds up to sock him with another Royale with Cheese, when Kyle slides under the bottom rope to hit Julius with a baseball slide! DJ immediately backdrops Julius when he staggers forward, sending him into the first row!

DJ returns to the apron and he discusses further strategy with Kyle as Julius does his best to beat the referee’s count with Slade cheering him on. With a count of eight, Fairweather makes it back to the ring, but Kyle maintains his advantage with a DDT before he makes the quick tag to DJ. Together, the members of the Phantom Troupe hit Julius with a spike piledriver and DJ makes another pin attempt…

ONE!

TWO!

THREE - NO!

The kickout keeps the Psychos alive in the match, but the Troupe makes another quick tag, this time DJ brings Kyle into the ring with an assisted crossbody block off the top rope. Julius manages to roll through the move and push himself to his feet, still with Kyle in his arms. He then hits a swinging side slam to stun Valentine before falling toward his corner where he brings Castle back into the fight!

Slade slingshots himself between the ropes to nail Kyle with a spear, but Valentine still has enough to catch him and turn it into a DDT, putting both men down!

TREY BOOKER: I’d say both teams are dead even now, and there are still two more teams to enter!

Castle and Kyle get to their feet and Valentine quickly goes for a dropkick, but Slade catches him by the feet and catapults him backwards, right into another Royale with Cheese from Fairweather on the apron! Castle immediately rolls Kyle onto the mat and Julius leaps in to cut DJ off from the save…

ONE!

TWO!

THREE!

HOLLY PEREZ: THE PHANTOM TROUPE HAS BEEN ELIMINATED!

TREY BOOKER: The Psychos eliminate Valentine and Hunter, but they’ve got a long way to go before they claim the automatic number one contendership!

J.T. PRICE: The Troupe and The Psychos are now one for one. Maybe they both need to be booked against BFG in a triple threat so we can call it good!

HOLLY PEREZ: THE NEXT TEAM TO ENTER THE MATCH ARE…THE GOLDEN GODDESSES…BETSY GALLAGHER AND LEXI GOLD!!!

As Kyle and DJ try to dispute the referee’s decision at ringside, Betsy and Lexi make their entrance, looking to face a team that has already been through the wringer. Betsy gets into the ring quickly and avoids Slade’s charge with a drop toe hold before immediately locking him in a leg grapevine! The Slayer of the Street is down in the center with nowhere to go, so Julius quickly charges into the ring and plants a stomp on Betsy’s head to break it up!

While the hold is broken, that doesn’t stop Betsy from pressing her advantage as she takes Slade back down with a tiger feint legsweep, then grabs hold of his ankle before tagging in Lexi Gold. She leaps over the top rope and plants a stomp against Castle’s leg, then grabs a hold of it to apply another grapevine as Betsy makes her exit. Julius tries to come back in to break the hold again, but the referee stops him.

Lexi eventually releases her hold and drags Castle toward her corner before sliding under the bottom rope. She then applies a figure four leglock around the ringpost, forcing the referee to begin his count. Before he reaches five, Betsy slings over the top rope and drops a leg across Castle’s face while he’s trapped in the hold. Only then does Lexi finally release him. Another quick tag brings Betsy back in and she hits Castle with a pair of knee breakers and a dragon screw takedown before tagging Lexi and locking on a kneebar.

With Castle trapped in the hold, Lexi leaps off the top buckle with a double stomp to his chest and then quickly goes for the cover as Betsy makes her exit…

ONE!

TWO!

THREE - NO!

Julius dives across the ring to make the save at the last second, but it earns him a dropkick from Lexi Gold. The impact sends Julius staggering back into his own corner and Lexi wastes no time in making another quick tag to Betsy. Together, they hit Slade with a tandem suplex, roll him back to his feet, and plant him with a double DDT! Lexi makes her exit as Betsy measures Slade carefully and then charges towards him for a Regal knee! Castle sidesteps at the last second and hooks Betsy’s leg with his arm, flipping her onto the back of her head. She quickly rolls back to her feet and takes a wild swing at Castle, but he ducks underneath, hooks her head, and then drops to his knees for a reverse over the shoulder neckbreaker!

Betsy is momentarily stunned, but it’s long enough for Castle to jump towards his corner and make the tag to Fairweather. Julius comes in quickly and fires off a hard right hand at Betsy before she gets her bearings…and she hits the canvas like a ton of bricks! Lexi springs off the top rope to assist her partner, but Julius knocks her out of the air with another hard right hand! After the pair of Royales with Cheese, the referee still has not noticed the brass knuckles on Julius’ hand, and he turns his back on the official to stuff them back into his trunks before that changes.

TREY BOOKER: Foul play by Fairweather and that idiot referee didn’t even see it!

J.T. PRICE: That’s what happens when we allow Fallout people on a Proving Ground program…

TREY BOOKER: And speaking of Fallout competitors, J.T…what in the hell are The BFG Division doing here?!

Sure enough, the crowd comes to their feet as the reigning champions, Michael Bishop and Liz Karlson casually begin to make their way toward the ring. Perhaps they’re arriving to watch the future competition, but it seems more likely that they’re in the building to give Julius and Slade a little bit of payback. Castle and Fairweather finally notice their approach, and they immediately head toward the aisle to greet them appropriately. A four-way brawl immediately breaks out between the tag team champion and The Motor City Psychos, as the referee begins to make his count.

Liz and Julius spill over the guardrail to begin brawling on one side of the aisle, while Slade and Bishop literally throw themselves through the opposite railing and into the fans. With no end to the fight in sight, the referee finally completes his count, awarding the round to The Golden Goddesses.

HOLLY PEREZ: THE MOTOR CITY PSYCHOS HAVE BEEN ELIMINATED BY A COUNT OUT!

Members of Proving Ground security rush into the crowd in an attempt to break up the brawl between The BFG Division and The Motor City Psychos, as Betsy and Lexi do their best to shake off the effects of being dropped by the brass knuckle shots. Their current condition doesn’t make the final team hesitate however, as they rush to the ring…

HOLLY PEREZ: AND INTRODUCING THE FINAL TEAM TO ENTER…CADILLAC JACKSON AND TJ THOMPSON!!!

Caddy hits the ring as quickly as he can and immediately slams his body into Lexi’s with The Ejection before she can fully recover! TJ chooses to enter the ring by coming off the top rope, nailing a stunned Betsy Gallagher with The Hip with the Drip! Despite the foul play that the ladies had just suffered through and the dazed state they were in, the immediate attack by Caddy and TJ is completely legal…as is the immediate pin Thompson makes…

ONE!

TWO!

THREE!

DING! DING! DING!

HOLLY PEREZ: YOUR WINNERS OF THE MATCH AND NUMBER ONE CONTENDERS TO THE TAG TEAM TITLES…CADILLAC JACKSON AND TJ THOMPSON!!!

TREY BOOKER: Caddy and TJ have won Tag Team Turmoil but they barely had to do anything in the process! Betsy and Lexi did not get a fair shake in this one thanks to the dubious actions of The Motor City Psychos!

J.T. PRICE: Yeah? Well maybe Julius and Slade didn’t get a fair shake because of The BFG Division! Did you ever think of that?

TREY BOOKER: Unbelievable…just unbelievable. We need to get this chaos under control before our next match. Thankfully, Crystal Ward is standing by…


Following Tag Team Turmoil, we go backstage where Crystal Ward is prepared to make an unscheduled announcement.

CRYSTAL WARD: Ladies and gentlemen, I’ve been informed that our General Manager, Indy Darling, is not in the building tonight. Rumors are circulating that his upcoming Death Match against Kurtis Slayne will be taking place at an undisclosed location to prevent outside interference. Having said that, I’m told that my guest at this time, Mark Hunter, can shed some light on the situation.

Mark enters the scene as the fans in the arena boo his on-camera appearance. The Straight Shooter seems to soak in the crowd’s disdain for a few moments, before greeting Crystal with a smug grin.

CRYSTAL WARD: I have to admit, we weren’t expecting to see you here tonight, Mark. You’re not scheduled to compete, so what brings you to Disputed Territory?

MARK HUNTER: Crystal, I don’t really think Indy is likely to inform you of all people about much anyway is he?

Crystal shrugs a little.

MARK HUNTER: Don’t answer because we don’t care for your answer, I’m here tonight because I’m one of Indy’s most trusted friends. You’re so out of the loop it’s almost funny, Indy is not your General Manager and never will be again… I am your boss, I’m here running the show, and I stand before you as Indy Darling’s hand chosen replacement… Mark Hunter is the Proving Ground General Manager and I guarantee I’ll be the poison that deals with the vermin eating away at the great company I’ve helped build. Now I would stay and answer more questions BUT I don’t like you very much and I don’t want to… so laters!!

Just like that Mark walks away from shot leaving Crystal staring a hole through his departing back.




HOLLY PEREZ: Ladies and gentlemen, the following contest is scheduled for one fall and it is for The Triple A Championship!

The extended version of “The Willem Dafoe Drip” plays throughout the arena, as the award winning actor and leader of The DaVengers steps through the entrance curtains. On one side he is flanked by Howie DeWitt and Don Crenshaw, while on his other side are Rich Mahogany and Samurai Steve. With the kind of warm and inviting smile that gives off “I just banged your mom” vibes, Dafoe makes his way to the ring with The DaVengers following him close behind. After leaping onto the ring apron, Dafoe springboards into the ring with a double somersault before landing on his feet and performing a gentlemanly bow for the crowd.

HOLLY PEREZ: Introducing first, the challenger…weighing in at one hundred fifty-five pounds and fighting out of Appleton, Wisconsin…he is the man, the myth, the legend…WILLEM DAFOE!!!

The stage remains empty as the sound of a guitar playing can be heard over the sound system. Moments later, the opening lyrics to “Fire Water Burn” can be heard…

♫The roof, the roof, the roof is on fire
The roof, the roof, the roof is on fire
The roof, the roof, the roof is on fire
We don't need no water, let the motherfucker burn
Burn motherfucker, burn♫

At that moment, the music picks up its tempo and the curtains fly apart to reveal “Spicy” Serrano Poblano with the Triple A Championship over his shoulder. With his bleached blonde hair spiked up and his sleeveless flame theme shirt unbuttoned, Serrano headbangs toward the ring. After rolling under the bottom rope, he tosses his shirt aside and throws his hand up with his fingers giving the metal sign.

HOLLY PEREZ: And his opponent, weighing in at three hundred twenty pounds and fighting out of Flavortown…he is the reigning and defending Triple A Champion…The Sultan of Spice…SERRANO POBLANO!

TREY BOOKER: And here we have a contest that could be a main event anywhere in the world!

J.T. PRICE: Oh, fuck off.

DING! DING! DING!

As soon as the opening bell rings, Willem Dafoe leans back against the corner turnbuckles nonchalantly, as his four teammates in The DaVengers rush into the ring. Before he can say, Holy Moly Stromboli, Serrano is overcome by the four-on-one attack. Rich Mahogany lays in some clubbing blows, Samurai Steve hits a side thrust kick, and Howie DeWitt fires off some blistering chops, all while Don Crenshaw holds Serrano in place.

It’s only a matter of time before Serrano is beaten down to the canvas, completely helpless before the orchestrated gang assault. Once The Spice Goat is prone on the mat, Howie DeWitt goes to the top rope, performs some really fly dance moves on the top turnbuckle, and then flies off to hit Serrano with his Boogie Pimp Elbow.

Following that, Cool Dad Crenshaw pulls Serrano back to his feet and then wraps his arms around him tightly, locking in the Dad Hug! With Serrano helpless in Cool Dad’s bearhug, Rich Mahogany hits the ropes and charges back, sandwiching Poblano between himself and Crenshaw with The Woodsman Cometh! As Don releases Serrano and allows him to crumple onto the canvas, Samurai Steve digs into the front of his tights and produces a serpentine sock puppet. He slides it over his arm and slaps at his own joints, bringing The Cobra to attention! Then, as he’s pulled to his feet by Rich and Don, Serrano is hit by Steve’s Cobra nerve strike!

TREY BOOKER: This is just a mugging, plain and simple!

J.T. PRICE: So much for the power of friendship. Tonight the secret sauce finally expires!

As all of this punishment has been transpiring, Willem Dafoe has been hard at work, retrieving both a ladder and a table from under the ring. He has the ladder placed in the corner with the table set up in front of it as he douses both of them with lighter fluid. Once that’s complete, Dafoe climbs to the top of the ladder and slides a book of matches out of his tights. With a flick of his fingers, the match is lit and he drops it to ignite both the ladder and table!

The other DaVengers lift Serrano off the mat and move him towards the flaming table so that Willem can hit his “Norman Osbourne” ultimate finishing move, the inverted corkscrew Phoenix Splash off a flaming ladder through a flaming table…when The DaVengers’ attention is broken by the sound of a voice…

PERCIVAL BURQUE: KaVengers…

Willem turns his attention toward the stage where Larry KaChow and Noah Hope push Ratman through the entrance in his wheelchair. Then, emerging behind them, are Rapture, Guy, and El Puma, apparently having been rescued from the dungeon of Dafoe!

PERCIVAL BURQUE: …Kassemble!

Leaving Percy and Larry on the stage, the other four members of The KaVengers rush to the ring in order to assist their flatulent friend. Rapture tackles Samurai Steve to the mat and begins to stab at him with a plastic spork…El Puma springboards into the ring to take Don Crenshaw off his feet with a crossbody block…Guy sizes up to Rich Mahogany and then fires off a kick to his twigs and berries…leaving Noah Hope to distract Howie DeWitt and then run away from him with a deceptive game of cat and mouse.

With his friends buying him some time, Serrano staggers forward to slam his bulbous body against the flaming ladder, causing Dafoe to lose his balance and tumble downwards through the flaming table! With nothing left, Serrano simply falls backwards on top of Dafoe and the wreckage of the table…

ONE!

TWO!

THREE!

DING! DING! DING!

HOLLY PEREZ: Your winner of the match…and still Triple A Champion…SERRANOOOOOOO POBLANOOOOO!!!

As the DaVengers rush to the aid of their fallen leader, Rapture and El Puma pull Serrano’s lifeless body from the ring. Noah and Guy join them so that they can carry The Sultan of Spice away from the ring while The DaVengers are still distracted. By the time they manage to lug his lifeless body up the ramp, Serrano begins to regain consciousness. He then sees his best friend in the entire world, Percival Burque, giving him a cheerful thumbs up. Finally, months of missed connections come to an end as a blubbering Serrano kneels down to give Percy a huge embrace. Moments later, they are surrounded by the rest of the KaVengers in a full on group hug.

TREY BOOKER: It’s so heart-warming! It’s so wholesome! It’s so…

J.T. PRICE: …stupid.

While it looks as if all’s well that ends well, that is not the case. Back in the ring, The DaVengers are violently shoved aside as a figure rises from the ashes of the flaming table. We must assume that this figure is Willem Dafoe, but a frightful mask now covers his head entirely, forcing The KaVengers to look on in shock and horror…

TREY BOOKER: My god…that horrible fright mask…it could only be…Willem Dafiend!

J.T. PRICE: Oh, for fuck’s sake…

Unsure of what to make of this strange turn of events, The KaVengers are left standing in awe as Willem Defiend stares them down…before we go to a sponsorship break…





The Five Sullivan Brothers Convention Center in Waterloo, Iowa is a far cry from the sold-out Prudential Center in New Jersey. It would normally hold a fraction of the crowd currently watching this footage on the Honor-Tron back in Newark, but on this night, it is nearly empty. Each summer, this building hosts a professional wrestling show during The George Tragos/Lou Thesz Hall of Fame weekend, and it was in this very building that Clive Darling had his last chance to impress talent scouts from across the globe. It was also the building he died in.

Holly Perez does not offer an introduction as Indy Darling enters the empty building dressed in blue jeans and his denim jacket, nor are there any pyrotechnics or entrance music. Instead, Indy walks forward toward the only area of the arena that is currently lit; an unoccupied wrestling ring.

KURTIS SLAYNE: I see you got my invitation…and you actually came alone? I’m surprised Mark Hunter isn’t holding your hand.

Indy looks around the building, his eyes narrowing behind his blue aviators as he searches for the source of the voice speaking to him over the sound system.

KURTIS SLAYNE: This seemed like an appropriate location to finally bury the hatchet, Nate. It may be where dad’s story ended, but it’s really where ours began, isn’t it?

Indy reaches the ring and takes a moment to look at the various instruments of torture that have been set up around it. Barbed wire wrapped boards rigged with explosives, sheets of glass, and tables giving off the scent of lighter fluid are just a few of the toys that Kurtis has prepared for them. With his eyes still set upon the hardcore instruments, Indy answers his unseen opponent with a raised voice.

INDY DARLING: He wasn’t your dad. I don’t give a damn what you claim…what your mother told you…he wasn’t that kind of man.

Just then, another series of lights are turned on, highlighting the towering scaffold that’s been erected on the far side of the ring. As Indy stares at it, childhood memories of seeing his father fall to his death rush into his mind. It’s almost more than he can bear as he quickly looks away. The sound system comes alive with another voice, but this time it does not belong to Kurtis Slayne. Instead, it is a recording of the ringside commentator from many years ago…

ANNOUNCER: Clive Darling must be thirty…forty…fifty feet in the air!

Indy slides under the bottom rope and whips the aviators from his face, tossing them out of the ring without a care. He then starts to pull off his denim jacket, when something on the ring’s canvas catches his attention. It is the outline of a body, spray-painted onto the mat like the grisly chalk outline around a dead body.

INDY DARLING: You mother fucker! Did you ask for this fight so you could play games all night?! You want to end it…so let’s end it!

For a moment there is silence as Indy once again looks around the empty arena. Then, before he can say anything else, the rest of the lights in the convention center turn on, revealing a crowd of cardboard stand-ups, each with the face of Clive Darling.

KURTIS SLAYNE: You can’t have a wrestling match without an audience, can you? And who better to watch his boys fight over his legacy than dear, old dad himself?

INDY DARLING: Son of a bitch!

Indy slides out of the ring and wraps his hands around the first thing he finds, which happens to be a steel chair that has been wound with a healthy supply of razor wire. With no target to take out his rage on, Indy begins to slam the chair against the steel ring post, denting the hell out of his chosen weapon. As he takes out his frustrations, he’s completely oblivious as Kurtis Slayne rolls out from underneath the ring behind him, both of his hands heavily taped and coated in shards of broken glass.

Before Indy becomes aware of his half-brother’s presence, Kurtis brings both arms down across his back, turning his denim jacket to shreds but still managing to grab some skin underneath. Indy spins around and swings the chair instinctively, but Kurtis ducks underneath it and gives Indy a few rabbit punches to the stomach with his glass-coated fists. The sudden puncture wounds shock Indy enough to make him drop his chair and clutch at his midsection, the white tee shirt under his jacket quickly turning red with blood.

Kurtis then brings his hands together behind Indy’s head, the glass on his forearms pressing against Indy’s temples as he executes the basic ear clap. Slayne then hooks Indy’s head in a simple side-headlock before forcing him against the guardrail. He leans back in preparation to deliver a glass-covered knife edge chop to the chest, but Indy is able to duck under it at the last second. He wraps both of his arms around Kurtis’ midsection and charges forward, slamming Slayne’s spine against the ring post. It’s enough to stun Kurtis and give Indy a much-needed opportunity to put some distance between himself and his opponent.

KURTIS SLAYNE: Ha ha ha! There it is! I was starting to think you were going to be daddy’s little bitch the entire time!

Instead of following Indy, Kurtis drops to the mat and rolls back underneath the ring. Moments later, the arena is once again plunged into darkness with the exception of the lighting focused on the ring itself. On the far side of the ring, Indy manages to find a roll of double-sided athletic tape, likely what Kurtis had used to coat his own forearms in glass. Instead of covering his own arms, Indy pulls up his bloody tee shirt and starts to wrap the tape around his punctured midsection. Only once that’s finished does he begin to wrap his own left forearm.

With a full covering of tape, Indy then turns to one of the panes of glass set up at ringside and puts his fist through them without hesitation. Having now armed himself in equal fashion as Kurtis, Indy carefully reaches down to grab hold of the ring apron. He pulls it back with his glass-covered fist clenched, but no one is there. Instead, a sudden burst of light comes from the left side of the ring, a freshly lit flaming table illuminating Kurtis Slayne’s sinister smile.

KURTIS SLAYNE: Come on, daddy’s boy. Let’s see if you’ve got what it takes to leave me for dead just like he did…

Indy doesn’t think twice as he runs around the side of the ring, but Kurtis meets him by tucking his head and driving his shoulder forward for an attempted tackle. It’s a move that the more-seasoned Indy Darling knows how to counter, as he wraps his arms around Kurtis and lifts him into a powerbomb position. Indy then takes a few quick steps forward before hurling Slayne out of his arms and slamming him back-first through the flaming table!

It’s a move that should give Indy a clear-cut advantage, but as he lays amongst the splintered and smoking shards of wood with his back arched, Kurtis Slayne lets out a delighted cackle.

KURTIS SLAYNE: That’s…heh…That’s the spirit…

Indy has no wisecrack comeback, instead letting out a guttural roar as he leaps on top of his half-brother, driving his glass-covered left hand down with hard punches to Kurtis’ forehead. After several strikes, Kurtis’ head is bleeding profusely, which finally seems to register with Indy’s humanity, as he looks down at his own red-stained fist.

INDY DARLING: …fuck you…you’re not worth it…

Indy pushes himself back to his feet, giving one last look at the smile emerging from underneath Kurtis’ crimson mask, before he turns his back and begins to walk away. He doesn’t make it far, as Slayne somehow manages to get to his own feet, tackling Indy from behind. The impact and momentum sends both men forward, their bodies crashing through the barbed wire wrapped board that’s propped against the guardrail.

With an echoing BOOM and a burst of sparks and smoke, the explosive on the board is triggered, but it would appear as if Indy takes the worst of the blast. He covers his face with his right arm as he rolls around the ringside area, moaning in pain. Kurtis, with smoke rolling off his skin, manages to let out another sadistic cackle.

KURTIS SLAYNE: Oh…you can’t leave yet…big brother. We haven’t…gotten to the best part…

Kurtis pulls himself to his feet before dragging Indy up as well, hooking him in a full nelson. Slayne then turns the hold into a full nelson face slam, effectively shoving Indy through the last remaining pane of glass. He leaves Indy laying on the floor, glass now sticking to the tape that he had wrapped around his midsection. Kurtis staggers backwards a few feet, trying to keep his balance, before he finally drops to the floor and rolls back underneath the ring. Moments later, as Indy is desperately trying to pull himself up with the assistance of the guardrail, the convention center is plunged into darkness.

When the lights come back on, Indy has managed to roll into the ring and he’s leaning against the ropes with both fists clenched in front of him. He’s bleeding from both ears and the forehead, clearly in need of medical attention. Also in the ring is a table, something Indy’s opponent has prepared for them. Kurtis, however, is not immediately visible. Then comes the sound of the unnamed announcer, once again calling the action from the night of Clive Darling’s death…

ANNOUNCER: Clive Darling has thrown caution to the wind here tonight in front of our sold-out crowd and this year’s Hall of Fame inductees! I’ve never in my life seen a shooting star press from such an incredible height, but the move was on target! Darling has driven his opponent through the table and neither man is moving…

KURTIS SLAYNE: We know what happens next, don’t we, Indy? It isn’t long before they realize that things aren’t exactly going to plan. Dear old dad stays on that mat like the useless piece of shit he was…a massive heart attack after the biggest move of his life to send him out in a blaze of glory.

Hearing his half-brother’s voice coming from above, Indy looks up to see that Kurtis has made his way up the scaffold where he now looks down on the ring from on high.

INDY DARLING: …fuck….you….

KURTIS SLAYNE: No. Fuck you and your pathetic, dead dad.

Indy lets out another primal scream as he runs across the ring and dives over the ropes, latching onto the ringside scaffold. As Kurtis audibly laughs at his brother’s anger and distress, Indy ignores the pain in his body in order to scale the structure. Slayne offers no resistance as Indy makes it to the top and pulls himself onto the highest platform, instead only motioning for Indy to come at him.

Darling is so overcome with rage that Kurtis is easily able to avoid his first few shots, before he fires back with a straight headbutt to the bridge of Indy’s nose. Kurtis then plants a kick to Indy’s midsection to double him over before hitting his Fuck You DDT on the unprotected scaffold platform. The entire rig shakes from the impact, but Slayne still isn’t done. He backs up a few steps, waiting patiently for Indy to push himself onto his hands and knees. Then he rushes back forward to hit his Fuck You Too curb stomp. Again, the scaffolding shakes from the impact, but it holds steady.

Instead of doing further damage, Kurtis drops to his knees beside Indy and begins to dig in his pocket. He retrieves the remote he’s been using to activate the arena’s lights and sound system, activating another long-forgotten clip of audio as he cradles Indy’s lifeless head with his other arm.

ANNOUNCER: Clive Darling’s not moving…ladies and gentlemen…I think we have a serious situation on our hands…

The audio even picks up the terrified scream of the little boy who was sitting at ringside to watch his father’s big match. Hearing his own scream from all those years ago is enough to shake Indy conscious, although his body remains unresponsive.

ANNOUNCER: My god…his son’s at ringside. We need help out here, now! Someone get that kid out of here!

Kurtis tosses the remote aside as the clip ends, still cradling Indy’s head. With his hand now free, Kurtis pats his older brother on the head.

KURTIS SLAYNE: That must have been rough, huh? Knowing that dad was dead. Watching the spectacular dive from the scaffold…believing for the briefest of moments that your lives were going to get better…that someone would finally notice him and offer him that big contract…only to watch it all fade away as you looked into his dead eyes.

Indy begins to stir, but Kurtis keeps a hold on his head.

KURTIS SLAYNE: Of all the things I resent you for…all the things I’m jealous of…you being there to watch him die is what I envy most…

Kurtis then shoves Indy off his lap and takes a few steps back, seemingly ready to end their encounter once and for all. With the love for his father and his rage at Kurtis’ actions having failed him, Indy can only manage to push himself to one knee.

KURTIS SLAYNE: Enough’s enough. If you’re not man enough to turn his legacy into something worthwhile, I might as well end both of you at the same time.

Kurtis glares at Indy before suddenly rushing forward, looking to hit his Eye For An Eye knee strike, only to have Indy roll forward to avoid it at the last second. Kurtis nearly charges off the edge of the scaffold, but manages to catch his balance and turn back toward Indy, who uses the last of his strength to hit his own version of Kurtis’ move. The first knee strike breaks Slayne’s nose and has him wobbling on his feet…the second one lands under his jaw to violently flip his head back…and the third one lands just as Kurtis is leaning forward.

The series of unexpected knee strikes sends Kurtis tumbling backwards and Indy can only watch as his half-brother is sent over the edge of the scaffolding platform. Slayne plummets downward, his body slamming through the table that’s been set up in the ring with a thunderous crash. Indy, barely able to remain on his own feet, looks over the edge without a shred of emotion on his face before then turning his gaze upward.

INDY DARLING: This one’s…for you…dad…

And then he takes a big step forward over the edge of the platform, sending himself into a shooting star press as he soars toward the ring. The glass-coated tape around Indy’s midsection connects perfectly with Kurtis’ torso and the impact bounces both men’s bodies off the canvas until they come to a stop, laying side-by-side.

Moments pass with neither man moving, the rise and fall of their chests the only indication that either of them are still alive. There are no commentators to scream about the violence or to show concern for their well-being. Instead, there is only the silence of the empty arena.

Finally, after several moments, Indy Darling is able to roll onto his side and on top of Kurtis. Despite the damage he’s already done, Indy tightens his left hand into a fist as he sneers down at his half-brother. He then lands a punch square to his face, shocking him back to consciousness. With shaky hands, he throws another punch that lands with a sickening squish. Then he throws another…and another. The only thing that finally stops him is the weak words that Kurtis manages to force out…

KURTIS SLAYNE: …you’re….just like me…

It’s a statement that sends a shock through Indy’s body and forces him to hold his next punch.

KURTIS SLAYNE: …you…finally killed…his legacy. I win…Nate…I win…

Slayne falls back into unconsciousness with Indy towering over him, fighting against every fiber of his being as he continues to clench his fist. Finally, he rolls off of Kurtis to a seated position. He says nothing as he stares blankly…before he begins to pull himself up, bracing himself so that he doesn’t fall back over. With his body covered in cuts and burns, he stares down at the unconscious Kurtis Slayne, making it clear that a winner in this unsanctioned death match has been determined.

Indy lowers himself back to the mat and rolls under the bottom rope before beginning to make his way around the ring. As he nears the space between the guardrails that serves as an entrance and exit…he leans down to pick up the blue aviators that once belonged to his father…gives them a long look…and then throws them into the stands.



The scene returns to the ring, as Holly Perez begins to announce the next bout.

HOLLY PEREZ: The following is an Ultimate Submission match scheduled for thirty minutes, or until one competitor is rendered unconscious. If John Blade scores the most submissions by the end of the allotted time - or in the event of a draw, overtime - he will earn a shot at the Legacy Championship. And now, coming to the ring first... he stands at six-feet-three-inches tall and weighs in at two-hundred-and-sixty pounds... he is the Surgeon of Thuganomics, the Undisputed Greatest of All Time, and the Hero That Proving Ground Deserves...

JOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN BLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAADDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The crowd goes insane as ‘Time is Now’ by Trademarc begins to play, heralding the arrival of the greatest wrestler on the Project: Honor roster. John Blade walks out from backstage to deafening cheers from his thousands of adoring fans, lifting one fist high above his head as the outpouring of love from the audience grows even louder.

TREY BOOKER: Here he is, everyone! The conquering hero, riding out on his mighty steed to save the company by slaying the fearsome dragon Billy Bennett! The man destined to save the realm known as Project: Honor from the tyranny of that cracked-out lunatic bitch! The only one who can unite the kingdom under a single banner, and usher in a glorious new era in this company!

J.T. PRICE: What the hell is wrong with you, bro?

TREY BOOKER: You’ll have to forgive me, I finally got around to watching Game of Thrones last week so I’m still kind of in that zone.

J.T. PRICE: Well, please, stop. This is serious business.

As John Blade runs down the ramp towards the ring, he slaps the hands of every fan who reaches out towards him, each of them truly blessed by this brief physical contact with the best in the business. Sliding under the ropes without breaking his pace, he stands back up to another ground-shaking explosion of applause. As he continues to work the audience, Holly lifts the microphone to her mouth again as she begins to announce the second competitor in this match.

HOLLY PEREZ: And next to the ring, standing at five-feet-zero-inches tall and weighing in at one-hundred-and-seventeen pounds... she is the current Project: Honor Legacy Champion... Cottonmouth, BIIIIIIIIIIIILLLYYYYYYYYYYYYYY BENNNNEEEEEEEETTTTTTTTTT!!!

The crowd immediately does a 180, as the booing and jeering pours out, sounding even louder than John Blade’s opening pop. There’s a grungy, harsh guitar riff that seems to be leading into ‘Hiss of the Witch’, Billy’s traditional entrance music.

But it soon becomes apparent that the dissonant, low guitar is playing a different tune altogether. It seems to be some kind of swampy, doom metal cover of ‘The Promised Land Playhouse’ theme... and when Billy finally steps out from the backstage area, she isn’t alone.

Flanked on either side by Mr. Wright and Candi Cain, her new friends wave cheerfully at the crowd as they walk behind Billy, who only stares blankly towards the ring - and John Blade within it - as her feet shuffle along, as if moving on their own accord.

J.T. PRICE: What the hell is this?! It’s not enough we have Billy Bennett on our Pay-Per-View, but we’ve got to deal with even more psychos from Fallout? What is management even doing?

TREY BOOKER: A question I ask myself everyday, JT. You know, I’ve been listening to Johnny Levy, and he’s really starting to make a lot of sense lately...

J.T. PRICE: I’ve been saying! Shit’s got to change, brother!

The Legacy Championship is also present, though it’s not held by Billy Bennett; instead, Mr. Wright has it slung over his own shoulder as he rotates his upper body to wave at both sides of the audience. Candi pokes Billy’s shoulder, seemingly snapping her back to reality, pointing at John Blade as she whispers something in the champion’s ear.

Tilting her head to one side, Billy’s eyes seem to light up as she reaches one arm out towards Mr. Wright. The giant host of the Promised Land Playhouse unslings Billy’s Legacy Championship from over his shoulder, handing it off to her as she snatches it out of his grip.

CANDI CAIN: (off-mic) Go get him, sis!

MR. WRIGHT: (off-mic) You can do it, Silly Billy! You wouldn't want to disappoint me, would you...?

Stomping towards the ring, Billy’s two new friends wave goodbye to the crowd before disappearing. She slithers under the ropes once she reaches ringside, pulling herself up and cracking her neck as her fists clench and unclench. Tossing the Legacy Championship dismissively over the ropes, it falls on the mats outside, where it is dutifully scooped up by a ringside official and moved to the timekeeper’s desk; despite this not being a title match.

During this bizarre entrance, John Blade has been handed a microphone from ringside, because of course he has.

JOHN BLADE: Yo. Yo. Yo.

Billy squints at John, like she can’t believe he’s actually going to go through with all this. Undeterred by her confused, bewildered expression, John Blade begins to drop the hottest bars in the history of the fucking game.

JOHN BLADE: My name’s John Blade, and I’m here to say
I’m the best damn wrestler in the U.S. o-

His amazing freestyle - probably destined to finally achieve world peace and unite all people around the globe - is interrupted, the audience shouting insults at Billy as she strides towards him and slaps the microphone out of his hand.

JOHN BLADE: (off-mic) AYO?!?!

About to tear into Billy with a fresh diss track - microphone or no - he’s again interrupted as Billy snorts loudly and spits a mouthful of phlegm into his face.

BILLY BENNETT: (off-mic) SHUT UP AND FUCKIN’ HIT ME!!!

She doesn’t have to ask twice, as John Blade lashes out with both hands to shove the champion in the chest. The difference in size and strength is so significant that he’s actually able to push her off her feet, Billy flying halfway across the ring before landing in a roll that ends in a crouch.

TREY BOOKER: Look at the power displayed by the THREE-TIME AAA CHAMPION JOHN BLADE!!!

J.T. PRICE: ...what a mark.

There’s a smile visible past the wall of her tangled hair, as she looks up at John Blade - busy throwing celebratory gang signs at the downed woman - before calmly rising back to a standing position and brushing her shoulders off.

John Blade just stands there like the titan - no, the pillar of the industry - that he is, waving his hand in front of his face as he nods and mouths insults at his opponent, clearly not afraid of her reputation or impressive record.

BILLY BENNETT: (off-mic) Good start… now show me how badly ya want that belt of mine...

JOHN BLADE: (off-mic) Aight, bet.

DING! DING! DING!

[30 minutes remain Bennett 0 - Blade 0]

Straight away the match kicks off to Billy and Blade trading rights back and forth. Billy, overconfident in her ability, stays toe to toe with the larger man in Blade but is shocked when she begins to be overpowered. Right after right pushes Billy back into the ropes. Blade whips her to the other side catching her when she rebounds with a flying shoulder tackle! Neither staying down for long, Blade is first to his feet running to the ropes coming back with a second shoulder tackle! Billy’s pace is slowing as she tries to grasp what is happening when they both rise to their feet once again. This time while Billy is dazed, Blade lifts her into a side powerbomb. While Billy lay stunned on the mat, Blade raises his hand into the air. Blade leans over Billy’s face waving his hand back and forth while the crowd yells…

YOU CAN’T SEE ME

Before Blade can attempt his five-knuckle shuffle Billy spits in his face and rolls out from underneath him. Blade takes a few steps back wiping the spit from his face. Billy charges Blade who is against the ropes to attempt clotheslining him to the outside. Blade leans over still attempting to get spit out of his eyes, inadvertently ducking the clothesline sending Billy to the outside.

After Big Match John recovers, he looks to the outside where Billy is getting back to her feet with the assistance of the guardrail. Feeling particularly adventurous and dangerous, Blade runs across the ring bouncing off the ropes, and as he returns he braces just before diving through the middle rope knocking Billy into the guardrail with a big diving shoulder tackle.

Blade gets back to his feet and rolls Billy into the ring going for the cover. The referee forgetting the stipulation of an Ultimate submission goes for the count!

ONE!

TWO!

KICKOUT!

[27:38 remaining Bennett 0 - Blade 0]

TREY BOOKER: Come on, ref! Get your shit together!

J.T. PRICE: When the official can't even remember the rules, we've got a big problem.

Billy’s arm shoots up with massive amounts of force. Her expression shows it all. She is not willing to lose like this. Blade stays cool and confident, barely giving Billy a break after the two count. As he gets Billy to her feet once more, snaps up slamming the back of her head into Blade’s jaw. Blade stumbles backward so Billy takes advantage now, leaping into him and taking him to the ground with a Lou Thesz press. She begins to unload strike after strike into his head while he attempts to block the shots.

Billy ends the strikes by headbutting Blade but her head stays down by his face. Blade begins to thrash attempting to get her off of himself. As Billy starts getting to her feet we pan in to see that she has Blade’s nose between her teeth. As she rises, she begins to lift him from the ground by his now blood gushing nose. In order to break free from her grip, Blade thumbs Billy in the eye forcing her to release him, dropping him back down to the mat. Billy Snarls at him and drops a pointed elbow into his chest.

Billy remounts and throws a few more punches and elbow strikes into Blade’s temple and busted nose. This time instead of grabbing his nose with her teeth, Billy latches onto Blade’s jaw and begins to drag him to his feet with a Tongan Death grip. Once they are both up, John uses his height advantage swinging his arms up into the air bringing them back down onto Billy’s arm breaking the hold. As he does, Billy switches arms, re-locking in the grip. Blade once again slams his arms down only for Billy to reapply the grip with the opposite arm. They repeat this sequence again and again speeding up as they do while the crowd gets on their feet in a steadily rising cheer.

[24:27 remaining Bennett 0 - Blade 0]

Finally, with one last break Blade is able to dodge one of the attempted grabs. Billy takes a step forward after missing and gets tripped at the ankle by Blade. Blade is quick to stay on top of her though, hooking the ankle then locking his arms around her jaw locking in the STFU!

Billy’s arms flail around while she begins to panic looking for the ropes. Billy finds the closest side of the ring and pushes herself and John up off the ground and crawls on her hands and single free leg toward the rope.

Billy dives forward and by her fingertips grabs onto the rope. The referee comes in to break the hold which Blade does without holding the submission any longer than necessary. Blade rolls off and collects his breath while Billy drapes herself over the bottom rope. A smile creeps across her face, as if impressed by the three time AAA champion. Blade gets back to his feet and notices Billy climbing the ropes. He runs across the ring bouncing off the ropes and comes back with a middle rope leg drop driving Billy’s throat into the middle rope. John is quick to pick Billy up into a reverse fireman's carry.

John parades around the ring finding himself in the center he waves his hand in front of his face then pushes Billy off his shoulder for A BURNING HAMMER!

At the last second Billy gets her feet to the mat catching herself then leaps forward with a knee lift into the abdomen of Blade. John curls over only to receive a second knee right into that mangled nose. Billy hooks one of Blade’s arms and whips him over herself with a takeover armdrag. Billy holds onto the arm and begins to wrench it while pushing her knee into the surgeon of thuganomics shoulder blade. Blade yells out and waves his arm in front of himself looking for a rope. Billy uses this, shifting his own weight against him, pushing him to the ground onto his chest with his arm in a chicken wing. Billy wraps her legs around John and wraps her arm around his neck locking him into a crossface chickenwing.

John is pumping his arm trying to get any sort of momentum toward the ropes but they don’t budge. Slowly, John loses steam as his arm begins to fall to the mat eventually going limp. The ref dives in to check. The referee lifts Blade’s arm into the air and drops it…



It hits the mat. He lifts the arms again…





It hits the mat. He lifts and releases it one more time…





It hits the mat!

DING! DING!

HOLLY PEREZ: Billy Bennettt has been awarded a point by knockout submission!

TREY BOOKER: That's a strong advantage for the champion, putting Blade at a disadvantage with just over fifteen minutes left to go!

J.T. PRICE: It's not over yet, Trey...

[18:48 remaining Bennett 1 - Blade 0]

John suddenly springs back to life and is now rolling his arm in a windmill fashion as the crowd begins to clap at a slowly increasing speed. As John gets to his knees the continue to clap faster, then to his feet they clap faster, now he throws an elbow into Billy’s side which makes them clap faster, until finally he reaches over his shoulder and throws Billy over slamming her into the mat with the crowd combusting into wild, elevated cheers. With the wind knocked from Billy’s lungs, John tries one more time leaning over Billy and waving his hand in front of his face.

YOU CAN’T SEE ME

Blade springs into the ropes then returns to the center doing a shimmy and dropping a FIST TO THE FACE OF BENNETT WITH THE FIVE KNUCKLE-SHUFFLE! HE ROLLS HER OVER AND LOCKS IN THE STFU!

Billy immediately starts scrambling in an attempt to find a way out of the hold. As she tries to push herself up, the weight of her and John Blade is just too much so she begins to tap in an attempt to save energy.

DING! DING!

HOLLY PEREZ: John Blade has been awarded a point by tap-out submission!

[15:56 remaining Bennett 1 - Blade 1]

TREY BOOKER: I can't believe it! John Blade has tied things up! 

J.T. PRICE: I told you! Speed, devotion, and admiration! 

TREY BOOKER: What?

J.T. PRICE: Don't mind me. I'm paid by word count.
 
Blade releases the hold and rolls off Billy, his momentum wavering. Billy coughs while crawling out of the ring and out of sight. Blade gets to one knee and looks around. He walks to one side of the ring and looks over the ropes and…. nothing. He walks across the ring to check the other side and… GETS A CHAIRSHOT STRAIGHT TO THE TEMPLE! Blade takes a few steps backwards attempting to stay on his feet. The cottonmouth slides under the ropes and gets to her feet, bringing the chair over her head, she slams it into the unprotected face of Blade. A splattering of blood covers the mat below them now as Blade falls over.

Billy leans over and grabs Blade's head, which is now coated and dripping with blood. She lifts him up and tucks his head under her arm looking at the crowd as they rain down boos from all sides. She brings him around with THE DEEP MARSH! After the rolling cutter she keeps one arm locked then reaches around grabbing the other.

BILLY LOCKS IN HER SIGNATURE CATTLE MUTILATION AKA THE SNAKE HANDLER. The ref dives to the mat and checks on Blade who is shaking his head no. The referee continues to ask while Billy deeply bridges applying even more pressure on the hold. Blade endures the hold for what feels like an eternity when he finally nods his head yes.

DING! DING!

HOLLY PEREZ: Billy Bennett has been awarded a point by verbal submission!

[11:22 remaining Bennett 2 - Blade 1]

Billy releases the hold and falls to the ground, her energy now depleted. Their heads rest against each other while the crowd explodes with cheers for both competitors for their efforts in the match.

FIGHT FOREVER
FIGHT FOREVER
FIGHT FOREVER
FIGHT FOREVER

Blade begins to roll to the edge of the ring landing on his feet as he rolls out, still using the apron to hold himself up and rest on. Billy’s head turns over seeing John Blade make his exit. Billy gets back to her feet and begins walking toward Blade. Just as she reaches the edge of the ring Blade grabs her legs and rips them out form under her causing her to fall landing hard on the back of her head. Blade pulls her out and puts her on his shoulders. He walks toward the announcers and without clearing the tables… ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENT THROUGH THE ANNOUNCE TABLE! Blade falls to the ground not immediately able to capitalize on the situation.

Blade crawls over to Billy and rolls her over onto her stomach. Blade positioned himself on top of her barely able to keep himself up. He wraps each arm over a knee and locks his arms under the chin WITH THE CAMEL CLUTCH! HE FALLS BACKWARD PUTTING ALL HIS WEIGHT INTO IT!

The referee exits the ring and checks on Billy Bennett whose lifeless body doesn’t respond.

DING! DING!

HOLLY PEREZ: John Blade has been awarded a point by knockout submission!

[8:22 remaining Bennett 2 - Blade 2]

TREY BOOKER: It's tied up again! You have got to be kidding me!

J.T. PRICE: Billy is out! this one is Blade's for the taking!

Blade lets go of the hold and falls back while Bennett falls forward only barely catching herself before hitting the ground. A dangerous aura is resonating around the suddenly conscious Billy as she begins to rise to her feet. Billy’s head turns only one eye visible through her hair. She glares daggers at the recovering Blade. Billy steps toward the ring menacingly lifting the apron and reaching for something underneath. As Billy rises, in one hand she holds up a wire snare.

Billy tucks the wire into her waistband and assists Blade by throwing him back into the ring under the ropes. Billy climbs up onto the apron, furious at the surprising amount of fire Blade has brought to the match. Blade gets to his feet, still woozy only requiring Billy to give him a light shove knocking him into the corner. Blood continues to pour from John’s head as he spits trying to avoid swallowing too much. Billy charges the corner and elbows Blade in the head. She begins to unleash a flurry into Blade slowly working him to the ground leaning his head against the bottom rope.

Billy leaps into the air bringing her foot onto Blade’s throat refusing to move it. She applies massive amounts of force down almost seemingly in an attempt to decapitate the man. The ref is checking on Blade who is refusing to give when Billy is suddenly distracted. WALKING OUT ON STAGE WITH A METAL PIPE IN HAND AND DOWN THE RAMP IS MARK HUNTER!

Billy gets off Blade and opens the ropes as an invitation for Mark to interfere. Mark however stays on the outside of the ring patiently watching as Billy slowly loses her mind. Suddenly she is grabbed from behind and spun around to be hit with a spinebuster! Billy doesn't stay down for long getting back to her feet in a panic. BLADE TAKES THE OPPORTUNITY JUMPING ONTO THE ROPES FOR A SPRINGBOARD STUNNER!

*CRACK*

MARK HUNTER HITS BLADE WITH THE PIPE!

Blade falls backward off the ropes. Billy, who didn’t see the shot, is confused but refuses to miss the opportunity. She pulls the snare trap from her waistband and wraps it around Blade’s throat, spinning him over onto his stomach. Billy stands above him and begins to pull the snare upward, choking out Blade while the wire digs into his throat. The referee checks on Blade who from all the stagnation and blood loss is completely knocked out now.

DING! DING!

HOLLY PEREZ: Billy Bennett has been awarded a point by knock-out submission!

[0:45 remaining Bennett 3 - Blade 2]

TREY BOOKER: Damn you, Mark Hunter!

J.T. PRICE: Watch it, Trey! That man is our new General Manager!

Satisfied with the results, Billy drops Blade who to the mat who can’t be tended to by paramedics until the remaining 45 seconds are up. Billy walks toward the ropes glaring at Mark, completely unhinged. Mark turns his back to her and takes his leave, walking back up the ramp. Billy turns to see Blade lying in a pool of his own blood in the center of the ring.

BILLY BENNETT: (off-mic) Good effort! You put up a real good fight!

Billy drops to the mat and rolls out of the ring as the buzzer sounds off for the time limit.





HOLLY PEREZ: The following contest is The Gates of Hell Match! Participants will do battle inside The Gates of Hell structure erected at the back of the arena as a new gate opens every five minutes. Once the final two participants reach the center of the structure, the winner will be determined when they ascend to the top of the structure and retrieve the briefcase!

The cameras then take us to the Gates structure at the back of the arena, where Brandon Hendrix sizes up the steel dome as he prepares to enter.

HOLLY PEREZ: Introducing first, from San Antonio, Texas and weighing in at two hundred thirty-seven pounds… “The Don”...BRANDON HENDRIX!!!

The lights go dim as the eerie voice of a former member of the notorious Manson Family rings through the arena.

"yeah, I
remember her saying:
I'm already dead... I'm already dead... I'm
already dead..."

The lights flicker revealing Casanova English on the stage as the voice continues.

"You're going to get up and scream. I'm
already dead... I'm already dead... I'm already dead..."
You're
going to get up and-
Burn an x in your head."

The lights turn back on as Casanova English takes a long drag off his already lit cigarette, his leather jacket hung loosely over his shoulders. He scowls at the crowd before Bash Daddy slowly walks from behind the curtains to join him - the towering man shirtless, wearing black jeans and a leather mask.

As Brandon takes up his position inside the first level of the structure, Casanova gives the dome an unimpressed glance before he flicks his cigarette aside.

HOLLY PEREZ: Next…from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada and weighing in at two hundred twenty pounds…CASANOVA ENGLISH!!!

“Diamonds” by Any Given Day plays over the sound system as Declan appears on the ramp, wearing blue trunks with the Irish flag on them with a diamond card design on the back. He does the slash of his throat on top of the ramp, with the crowd cheering for him before he makes his way toward the structure.

HOLLY PEREZ: From Cork Ireland, he is Irish Diamond Technician…DECLAN O’CONNOR!!!

With Casanova and Brandon having already chosen their strategic positions within the first level, Declan makes his way inside, clearly more awestruck by his surroundings than the previous two competitors.

"Hurt" by Johnny Cash begins to play and after a few seconds Douglas Crane comes out the back and heads down the ramp, at a steady pace, emotionless, his piercing blue eyes focused on the Gates of Hell structure.

HOLLY PEREZ: Next…from a place that cannot be determined and weighing two hundred forty pounds… “Mr. Personality”...DOUGLAS CRANE!!!

Douglas continues to display his blank stare as he enters the structure, casually looking around its circumference at the three men who have already entered. "Cash Flow" by Ace Hood ft T-Pain/Rick Ross then begins to play, signaling the arrival of the former Warrior Rising and Grand Champion, Emmanuelle. Much like Hendrix, she is no stranger to the Gates of Hell, but The Platinum Standard still cannot help but take a moment to gaze around the sinister construct.

HOLLY PEREZ: From Pacific Palisades, California…she is the winner of the first ever Gates of Hell Match… “The Platinum Standard”...EMMANUELLE!!!

The slow beginning to 'Enemy Strike' plays through the P.A. System in the arena as the house lights flash down onto the stage once the beat kicks in and onto the entrance curtain as the crowd awaits the arrival of James Raymond and raining down the mixture of cheers and boos from every inch of the arena. The figure of James slowly passes through the curtain from Gorilla Position as he looks around the arena. The half-mask worn around his head doesn’t give James the advantage of expressing himself, but from the way he’s looking around the arena and soaking in the crowd’s negative reaction, his nods are in approval of how the crowd feels about him. As he reaches the entrance gate, James slides the mask from his face and prepares to join the others within the first ring of the steel cell.

HOLLY PEREZ: Residing in Portland, Oregon and weighing one hundred eighty-seven pounds…he is “The Broken Crown” and “The Ruthless Star”...JAMES RAYMOND!!!

The first ring of the cell is starting to fill up with Raymond and Emmanuelle joining the others, but so far there is no obvious hint of an alliance between the two despite MYOJIN’s suggested alliance.

The lights suddenly go out, plunging the arena into darkness. 'Sympathy for the Devil' by The Rolling Stones begins to play and, after a short wait, a spotlight floods the entrance way revealing Silas Isaac Naberius. He slowly turns around, raises his head and tilts the brim of his Panama hat up, and scans the arena as his Pet slips into view behind him. He begins to twirl his cane and makes his way down the ramp.

HOLLY PEREZ: Next…from Whitechapel, London, England and weighing one hundred sixty-six pounds…SILAS ISAAC NABERIUS…S.I.N.!!!

As the first ten seconds of "Diamonds" by Megan thee stallion ft. Normani begins to play through the air, constellations swirl through the crowd and sparkle on the titantron. The lights in the arena are otherwise shut off until they suddenly come to life when the lyrics begin. As Normani's vocals begin to fill the air, Stella Jade's visage can be seen making her way towards the Gates of Hell. Robe flowing behind her as she has a certain air of confidence, she reaches out to lightly touch hands with a few fans on her way to the structure.

Diamonds are a girl's best friend
di-diamonds are a girl's best friend
southern girl like me ain't afraid to catch a case
vvs's on me and i flooded out the face

HOLLY PEREZ: And finally…she is Proving Ground's beacon of hope... the star... STELLA JADE!!!

TREY BOOKER: And here we go! We’ve seen a mix of brutality, comedy, and great in-ring skill, but there’s nothing else quite like The Gates of Hell!

J.T. PRICE: Put on your raincoat, Trey. It’s about to start raining blood!

DING! DING! DING!

The first level of the structure is a wide ring surrounded by steel on both sides, and as soon as the opening bell sounds, the participants locked inside begin using that to their advantage. SIN and James Raymond lock up with Silas shoving his opponent against one of the steel walls before James returns the favor. Having had the good fortune of entering first, Brandon Hendrix stands near the gate to the second level, ready to defend it against anyone who comes close. The first to attempt that is the young rookie, Declan O’Connor, who Brandon greets with a few stiff forearms before shoving him face-first into the steel cage.

Casanova English and Douglas Crane renew their old rivalry, but the Warrior Rising Title is no longer a point of contention between them. It looks as if Doug will use his size advantage as he wraps English in his arms and slams his back against the cage wall. It is a good tactic, but one that Cas is able to counter with a blatant rake of the eyes. With her experience inside of the structure guiding her, Emmanuelle springs onto the cage wall and then flips back off, catching Stella Jade with a surprise bodyblock that takes her to the floor. Emmy successfully gains a mounted position over Stella, but before she can start raining down some strikes, she’s hit from behind by a hard knee strike from SIN.

James Raymond isn’t far behind, as he grabs hold of Silas from behind and lifts him onto his shoulders. The domed ceiling is low enough in this first section that Silas is able to reach up and grab the steel mesh roof with both hands, preventing James from continuing with his planned follow-up. Stella Jade takes advantage of this by charging at Raymond, hitting a spear against his completely exposed midsection and taking him out from under Naberius. SIN continues to hang from the ceiling for a moment before he eventually starts to make his way around the first level, hand-over-hand as if he were crossing the distance on monkey bars.

He continues this tactic until he approaches Brandon Hendrix from behind, who’s too busy hammering down on Declan O’Connor to notice his approach. SIN drops from the roof onto Brandon’s shoulders, and before The Don can react, Silas turns it into a poisonrana! The move stuns Brandon, but it also leaves SIN off guard long enough for Declan to clock him with a sudden superkick as he’s getting back to his feet!

No sooner does O’Connor hit the superkick than he’s blasted by an elbow to the back of the skull from a charging Casanova English, sending Declan face-first into the steel. As this action goes down near the gate, we see Douglas Crane stalking Emmanuelle, clearly looking to lock her in his Release Me submission hold! As soon as Emmy feels his arms closing in on her head, she drops down and fires off a backwards kick, landing against Crane’s midsection. Then, Emmy reaches up with both legs to grab his head and flips him off his feet with a modified headscissor!

TREY BOOKER: Most of the action is taking place near the second gate, which is due to be unlocked at any moment!

J.T. PRICE: The race is on!

5…

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BUZZZZ!

All of the competitors are alerted to the unlocking of the next gate and Casanova English wastes no time in taking advantage of it. Still in control of Declan O’Connor, English rams him forward, pushing the gate open and sending both of them on to the next level. Not wasting a second, they are quickly followed by SIN as he dives through the gate, followed closely behind by Brandon Hendrix.

James Raymond has two handfuls of Stella Jade’s hair in order to rake her face across the cage, but the sound of the buzzer convinces him to release her as he makes a mad dash for the open gate. Stella is quick to shake off the effects of the scratches on her forehead, and gets through the gate as well, just a few steps behind James Raymond.

That leaves Emmanuelle and Douglas Crane, the latter holding a significant size advantage over the former Grand Champion. Still determined to apply his Release Me, Crane once again tries to grab Emmy, but she raises her feet to press them against the cage wall, rolls over to her stomach on Crane’s shoulder, and connects with a modified Malibu Shine DDT! The big man is down, and with that, no one is in Emmanuelle’s way of making it through the gate…

HOLLY PEREZ: DOUGLAS CRANE HAS BEEN ELIMINATED!

By the time Emmanuelle has reached the gate and advanced to the second level, her opponents have already had the opportunity to see what’s waiting for them on the other side. At oddly spaced intervals, four steel chairs are hanging from the ceiling above, but each of them has also been wrapped with a healthy supply of barbed wire. Having made his way into this section first, Casanova English is in a prime spot to retrieve one of the chairs, only his attempt is thwarted when Declan O’Connor tackles his legs and forces him to the ground.

Silas goes for one of the chairs as well, but Brandon Hendrix is already on him, locking the smaller man in a full nelson before raking his face across the steel mesh. James Raymond and Stella Jade are in a similar struggle for one of the weapons as they take turns interrupting each other just when the chair is at their fingertips. In an odd twist, being the last person to enter this level is almost to Emmanuelle’s benefit, as she is unhindered when reaching for one of the chairs and pulling it down.

Knowing that this is just the second of seven levels and that she has a long way to go, The Platinum Standard has no compunctions about using the weapon in her favor. She charges toward Silas Naberius to give him a taste of the barbed wire wrapped steel, but he manages to slip out of Brandon’s grip like a contortionist at the last second. Instead of cracking the weapon over SIN’s head, Emmanuelle slams it against Brandon Hendrix’s instead.

As Brandon slumps to the floor, Emmy spins around only to see that Silas now has his signature cane in hand. He jabs it against her midsection before she can defend herself and then gives the chair in her hands a hard upwards kick, knocking it back into her face. With a grin, Silas then reaches up toward another of the chairs to have one for himself, but he’s suddenly blasted by Brandon Hendrix’s Fall of the Guard! With both SIN and Emmy down, Brandon reaches up to grab the chair and rips it from the ceiling. He then begins to slam it across SIN’s back, punishing him with multiple blows.

TREY BOOKER: Hendrix is looking strong in there now! He’s the only one in the match besides Emmanuelle with some experience inside The Gates of Hell!

J.T. PRICE: And it’s showing! SIN is gonna need a chiropractor when The Don gets finished!

Not far away, Declan O’Connor has lifted Casanova onto his shoulders and is looking to hit The Diamond in Your Eyes, but English shifts his weight and escapes the fireman’s carry with a DDT! That move is enough to buy him enough time to finally get his hands on one of the chairs. Instead of slamming it down on Declan’s body like Brandon is doing to SIN, he instead chooses to unfold it just enough to place the rookie’s head inside. Then, with Declan still on the floor, Casanova begins to stomp away at the barbed wire wrapped chair, sandwiching Declan’s head and neck within it!

As SIN and Declan continue to endure their punishment, James Raymond is showing his experience edge over Stella by stunning her with a flurry of rapid slaps and kicks. This forces Stella into a seated position against the cage wall and gives James the opportunity to level a soccer kick against her chest. Stella gasps for air as James pulls her back up and then hoists her into the air, looking for a pop-up kick, but she somehow grabs the last suspended chair as she’s thrown upwards and brings it down over Raymond’s head before he can complete his maneuver!

TREY BOOKER: Stella Jade with a great desperation move, and it comes at a bad time for James Raymond as the seconds are ticking away!

J.T. PRICE: Raymond, Silas, and Declan are all in trouble right now!

5…

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BUZZZZ!

As the next gate opens, there is no attention focused on Emmanuelle, giving her the chance to be the first competitor into the next level of hell! Having already done plenty of damage to SIN, Brandon tosses his dented chair aside and makes a dash for the gate, successfully advancing as well. Having an edge over their own opponents gives Casanova English and Stella Jade the freedom to make their way to the gate, immediately brawling with each other as they cross the threshold!

Both Silas Naberius and Declan O’Connor begin to crawl around the circumference of the second level, trying to overcome the pain in their bodies in order to advance. James Raymond, who’s now bleeding from the top of his head, pulls the half-folded chair over his neck and staggers toward the next gate as well. Declan and Silas are both nearing the gate, having pulled themselves up and using the cell wall to assist them. Suddenly James Raymond catches up to SIN and brings his steel chair down over the man’s head, leaving it hanging around his neck like a twisted metal collar. As Declan pulls himself across the threshold to advance, Raymond kicks SIN’s legs out from underneath him, and he falls forward, the chair around his neck being driven against his throat! That’s all it takes to stun SIN long enough for Raymond to make his way into level three…

HOLLY PEREZ: SILAS ISAAC NABERIUS HAS BEEN ELIMINATED!

TREY BOOKER: We’re now down to six after the eliminations of Crane and Naberius, but the remaining survivors have a new obstacle to overcome!

J.T. PRICE: Are those…thumbtacks?

Sure enough, the entire floor of the third level is covered in a shiny layer of thumbtacks. Emmanuelle and Brandon Hendrix are already locked up, with The Don using his power to press The Platinum Standard against the cage with a lifting choke. Casanova English got the drop on Stella Jade as she made her entrance, and now has her pressed against the cell wall as well, his forearm held tight across her windpipe. Declan O’Connor tries to get the jump on James Raymond as he comes through the gate, but The Broken Crown avoids the ambush and takes the rookie off his feet with a double leg takedown.

O’Connor’s back is covered in thumbtacks and the sudden shock of that keeps him from blocking James as begins to work over Declan’s left leg. Emmanuelle is the next competitor to feel the sharp pain of a hundred thumbtacks, as Brandon pivots and turns his lifting choke into a modified chokebomb, driving Emmy’s back hard against the floor! Meanwhile, Casanova English is more direct in his methods of punishment, as he takes Stella Jade down with a drop toe hold and then blatantly presses her face against the tack-covered floor, dragging her head back and forth for good measure.

After clearing away some of the tacks to prevent damage to himself, Raymond continues to work over Declan’s leg with a rolling leg snap and a grounded dragon screw. It’s enough to keep Declan off his feet, but every time he sits up to get his body out of the tacks, Raymond knocks him back down with one of his many grounded kick variations. Salvation finally comes for him as Brandon Hendrix looks to share the pain, grabbing Raymond from behind and dropping him backwards with a back suplex. Both men are impaled with their share of tacks, but it’s clear that Raymond takes the worst of it.

Stella Jade continues to be at the mercy of Casanova English as he presses her face against the floor, when Emmanuelle finds the strength to re-enter the fight. She catches Casanova off-guard with a running penalty kick, nearly taking his head off and giving Stella a much needed breather. It’s clear that the issues between Casanova and Emmanuelle are more personal than The Platinum Standard simply aiding Stella Jade, as she leaps on top of him and fires down with a series of hard elbow strikes to his face.

English manages to shove her aside, but Emmy knows the Gates of Hell structure well, and leaps onto the cage wall to give herself some high ground as Casanova is getting back to his feet. He barely has time to reach a standing position before Emmanuelle dives onto him with a meteora, driving him back down on top of the tacks before continuing to punish him with sharp elbows.

Stella pulls herself up and begins to pull tacks out of her face with shaking hands, when Brandon Hendrix rushes to her side. Despite it being every competitor for themself, The Don takes a moment to make sure Stella is okay before they start to formulate a joint plan of attack. James Raymond becomes their target as Stella and Brandon hit him with a tandem suplex, grounding him so that they can both stomp away his body.

TREY BOOKER: Casanova and Emmanuelle have resumed their feud from two weeks ago, with The Platinum Standard looking to gain a measure of vengeance for her friend, Tara Fenix!

J.T. PRICE: And we’ve got Brandon and Stella working together to punish James Raymond! That’s not fair!

These heated battles have given Declan O’Connor a much needed respite from the action, but with his leg still in a great deal of pain, he can do little more than crawl towards the next gate. It’s a fortunate matter of timing for The Irish Diamond, as the countdown clock ticks down once again…

5…

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BUZZZZ!

Declan drags himself through the gate as soon as it’s opened, the first competitor to secure his position in level four. It takes a great deal of restraint for Emmanuelle to break off her assault on Casanova English, but she does hit him with a punishing curb stomp before making her own way into the next section. As a dazed English starts to crawl across the tacks to earn his own advancement, Brandon and Stella continue to ensure that James Raymond will not have the strength to advance. Jade lifts him for a straight jacket brainbuster, but instead of dropping him, Stella holds him in place as Brandon hits The Fall of the Guard!

The double team move has Raymond seeing stars as Brandon offers to let Stella pass over the threshold with a ‘ladies first’ gesture. As both Brandon and Stella advance, Casanova English pulls himself up and uses a sudden burst of energy to hit his English Lesson on James Raymond! The move seals James fate as he remains unable to stop Casanova from advancing through the gate…

HOLLY PEREZ: JAMES RAYMOND HAS BEEN ELIMINATED!

TREY BOOKER: We’re down to five remaining competitors as a fan-favorite level is back in play! It’s the hall of mirrors!

J.T. PRICE: The entire wall separating this level from the next one is covered by panes of mirrored glass, so no one knows exactly where the next gate could be!

Despite making it into the next level first, Declan O’Connor hasn’t earned a respite as Emmanuelle was quick to focus her attention on him. She continues to work over his leg with more dragon screws, forcing Declan to back himself against one of the mirrored sections of the wall. That eventually backfires, as Emmy charges forward to hit him with The Platinum Dynamic, smashing the mirrored glass at his back.

Brandon and Stella continue to work together, but now their focus is on Casanova English, as Brandon holds him in place for Stella to deliver a series of chops and a spinning kick to his midsection. As English is double-teamed, Emmanuelle keeps O’Connor on the ground by applying her Punch Out Time STF and The Irish Diamond has no means of escape.

Brandon and Stella switch positions on English as Jade hooks both of his arms behind his back. That leaves Casanova helpless as Hendrix rushes forward with another Fall of the Guard, hitting him directly in the face. As soon as the impact occurs, Stella uses the force of Brandon’s move to flip Casanova backwards, dropping him with a reverse double underhook suplex!

TREY BOOKER: We’re seeing some absolute domination right now from Emmanuelle and Brandon! It seems as if prior experience in The Gates of Hell is paying off!

J.T. PRICE: Yeah…that and being friends with benefits is paying off for Stella…

With Declan nearly unconscious and practically immobile, Emmanuelle finally releases her hold on him and adjusts her strategy. She moves from one mirrored section to another, shattering them with hard kicks in an effort to find the next hidden gate before the time runs out. In doing so, she’s also providing a nice covering of broken glass across the floor.

Meanwhile, Stella pulls Casanova back to his feet and hooks his arms again. English is bleeding from the mouth and seems to be out of it as Brandon gears up for another Fall of the Guard, but this time he breaks away at the last second and Stella eats the move instead! The accidental impact distracts Brandon for a moment as he checks on his fallen friend, and that gives Casanova the chance to hit Hendrix with a blatant low blow! The Don drops to his knees in pain, but English doesn’t stop there as he strikes with The Silence of the Lamb! Brandon is locked tight in the hold!

With Declan and Stella still down, and with Casanova focused on Hendrix, Emmanuelle continues to shatter one pane of mirrored glass after another until she finally locates the concealed gate! Wisely, she stands guard over it as the seconds tick away on the time clock…

5…

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BUZZZZ!

Emmanuelle immediately rushes through the gate to secure her spot in the fifth level while the sound of the buzzer convinces Casanova to release his hold on Brandon Hendrix. English rushes to the gate and dives through, immediately coming to blows with Emmanuelle. With no one observing him, Declan O’Connor struggles back to his feet and despite being bloody and wracked with pain, he staggers through the open gate to advance.

That leaves Brandon Hendrix and Stella Jade, both of whom are still feeling the effects of what they’ve been through. The pair reach the gate at nearly the same time, but with only one of them able to advance, there is no sportsmanlike gesture this time around. Instead, Stella takes the initiative by grabbing the gate and slamming it against Brandon’s head before allowing her own body to fall across the threshold…

HOLLY PEREZ: BRANDON HENDRIX HAS BEEN ELIMINATED!

J.T. PRICE: It’s the final four, baby!

TREY BOOKER: It is indeed, but what horrors await those four competitors? This level appears to be perfectly normal…

No sooner does Trey make that comment, when Casanova English wraps Emmanuelle in his arms and shoves her backwards against the next section of wall. The sudden sound of electricity fills the air as the wall sends a shock through both of their bodies, revealing that this section has been wired with an unknown amount of voltage!

As Emmy and Cas sink to the floor, Declan watches on with complete surprise, somewhat awestruck by what he’s been through and what lies ahead as this is only his second match for the company. As if to give him a proper welcome, Stella grabs him by the head and attempts to whip him into the electrified wall, only he reverses it at the last second and a charge of electricity courses through Stella’s body!

As Jade tries to get back on her feet, Declan ignores the pain in his leg and hobbles forward as fast as he can to hit her with a spear, once again knocking her backwards into the electrified cage! Now having the advantage for the first time in the match, O’Connor isn’t about to stop. He takes measure of Casanova English and leaps toward him, planting a hard football kick against his ribs! He then turns towards Emmanuelle and grabs her by the arm, applying his Tarantula Choke!

TREY BOOKER: Look at this kid go! He’s literally been through four levels of hell and he’s still got some fight in him!

J.T. PRICE: Trapping a competitor like Emmanuelle in your signature hold is no small feat!

Declan maintains his hold on Emmanuelle for several moments, and when Casanova English regains his bearings, he makes no move to stop him. Instead, Cas backs up to the non-electrified side of the cage and watches O’Connor increase his pressure on Emmanuelle as a smile crosses his face. Stella Jade isn’t so content to simply watch the action however, as she regains her senses and rushes forward to smack Declan with a shining wizard kick!

The impact forces him to release Emmanuelle as Stella turns to focus on Casanova. She charges at him, trying to plant a stiff kick against his torso while he’s seated against the cage, but English rolls away at the last second. Stella continues to stalk after him and eventually grabs his head with both hands, but Casanova responds by spitting his own blood into Stella’s eyes! With her momentarily blinded and disgusted, English kicks her away and Stella bounces off the electrified cage a second time!

Instead of pressing his attack on Stella, Casanova sees this as the perfect opportunity to add further punishment against his bitter rival, Emmanuelle. As she’s still recovering from the pain of Declan’s Tarantula Choke, Casanova grabs her legs and twists her around until he’s managed to apply It Came From Canada! He has the sharpshooter locked on tight, but he barely has time to punish Emmanuelle with it as Declan leaps towards him and pulls him away with a surprise bulldog!

All four competitors are down on the floor, the Gates of Hell and the punishment inflicted on each other having taken their toll…

5…

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BUZZZZ!

TREY BOOKER: It’s anyone’s ballgame now!

J.T. PRICE: That electricity took its toll, Trey. If I was in there, I think I’d just call it quits instead of taking my chances with whatever’s on the other side of that gate.

Despite J.T. 's suggestion, there is no quit in the four remaining competitors. Unable to use the cage wall as a support without being shocked, they begin to crawl towards the unlocked gate with Casanova falling behind. It looks as if Declan O’Connor is going to make it first, when he’s suddenly hit by a superkick to the face from Stella Jade! She follows that up with two superkicks to the chest…and then a shining wizard! After fully executing her Temperance, Stella leaves Declan lying and crosses through the gate.

With O’Connor down, Emmanuelle is able to move past him, securing her own advancement as well. She’s followed by Casanova English, who sees Declan begin to stir and drives a knee to his temple for good measure! With that, O’Connor is down and English advances through the gate…

HOLLY PEREZ: DECLAN O’CONNOR HAS BEEN ELIMINATED!

TREY BOOKER: We’re down to three with only five minutes remaining until we reach the center of the structure!

J.T. PRICE: Wait…do you hear that? Is that…barking?!

Making her way around the perimeter of the next level, Stella Jade comes face to face with a pair of attack dogs, who bare their teeth and warn her not to approach with loud barks and growls. That’s enough for Steall to say ‘NOPE’ as she leaps onto the cage wall, doing her best to climb out of their reach. As one of the dogs runs past her, Emmanuelle and Casanova have the same idea, both of them leaping onto the cage wall in order to avoid the ferocious animals.

TREY BOOKER: Too far, guys, too far!

J.T. PRICE: Now we know why the other side of this section is electrified…

With the competitors having been chased to higher ground like three cats up a tree, there is very little action to speak of initially. Stella remains in place as one of the dogs leaps at her from below, while the other canine paces back and forth beneath Emmanuelle and Casanova. Not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, Casanova begins to kick at Emmy from his spot on the cage wall, hoping to dislodge her and put her at the mercy of the attack dog. In return, Emmanuelle tightens her grip and answers with a few stiff kicks of her own, but neither she nor Casanova are knocked from the cage.

Stella starts to make her way around the cage wall, hoping to put herself near the gate when the time eventually runs out. This brings her closer to Casanova, who now finds himself stuck between Emmy and Stella. Both women begin to kick at English, who can no longer defend against attacks from opposite directions, as he loses his grip and falls to the floor.

It’s almost like the dogs smell fresh meat as they pounce on Casanova, each of them biting down on one of his arms. They start to yank on his appendages as if they were playing tug of war, and it isn’t long before the taste of English’s blood fills their mouths. With his arms held tight by the two dogs, Emmanuelle cannot resist the urge to leap off the cage, planting a stiff kick against his unprotected face! While the move does some serious damage, it also convinces one of the dogs to release its grip, as it turns and bites down on Emmanuelle’s leg!

Stella can only watch on with a horrified expression from the cage wall, but now that one of his arms is free, Casanova reaches up to grab Stella by the ankle. The dog on his other arm pulls Casanova back, but he keeps a firm grip on Stella’s leg and successfully pulls her down to the floor. Having had its fill of Cas’s arm, the dog releases him and pounces at Stelle, latching down on the side of her midsection as if she were a chew toy.

TREY BOOKER: Too much! Too much! Open the fucking gate early!

J.T. PRICE: For once, I agree!

As Emmanuelle tries to kick the dog off her ankle and Stella screams out in pain from the teeth gnawing at her ribs, the countdown clock jumps ahead to the final five seconds. It would seem as if someone in the back agrees that the idea for this level was not well-planned…

5…

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BUZZZZ!

Casanova English dives through the final gate as soon as the buzzer sounds, leaving his two opponents to fend off the vicious attack dogs. Emmanuelle plants a stiff kick against the side of her attacker’s head, knocking the dog backwards against the opposite cage wall, which is still electrified. As it runs away with a loud yelp, Emmy crawls toward the open gate. She takes one last look at Stella, who’s pinned down by the other dog, before accepting that it’s everyone for themself and crossing the threshold.

HOLLY PEREZ: STELLA JADE HAS BEEN ELIMINATED!

As the dog trainers rush into the cell to free Stella from further harm, the final gate closes with only Casanova and Emmanuelle inside, the prize they seek hanging thirty feet above their heads.

TREY BOOKER: This is it! The first one to reach the top and retrieve the briefcase wins the match!

J.T. PRICE: And Casanova has a head start!

Emmanuelle does her best to ignore the pain in her bleeding ankle as she begins to climb, with Casanova already ascending the cage wall. Her efforts are not in vain as she manages to grab his ankle, but the crafty competitor plants a kick against her face to knock her back to the floor. This gives Casanova an advantage, but knowing the tenacity of Emmanuelle firsthand, he instead chooses to dive off the cage wall, driving his own head against Emmy’s with The Newfie Noggin Hug!

As the two competitors lay motionless in the final level, the cameras pan around to show the previously eliminated competitors still locked in their sections, forced to watch Casanova and Emmanuelle fighting for a prize that’s now out of their reach. It is another cruel factor to the Gates of Hell, adding psychological damage to their already injured bodies.

Back in the center, Cas and Emmy both start to stir. They ignore each other for the time being, instead beginning to pull themselves up the steel mesh wall. Hand over hand and foot over foot, they both start to put some distance between themselves and the floor. The climb is slow but also neck-and-neck. Just past the halfway point, Casanova angles his climb sideways until he’s nearly beside Emmanuelle. She does her best to kick him away, but English endures before grabbing her head and slamming it against the steel wall.

Then, in a completely unexpected move, Casanova launches himself off the side of the wall, flipping into a sunset powerbomb position to grab Emmy and pull her off the cage! The Platinum Standard is driven hard to the surface below, knocking her unconscious in the process!

Unfortunately for Casanova, the move has taken its toll on him as well, as he lays on the floor and stares at the briefcase hanging high above.

CROWD: HOLY SHIT! HOLY SHIT! HOLY SHIT!

J.T. PRICE: Thumbtacks, electricity, and attack dogs…and now they chant holy shit?

TREY BOOKER: They’re dead, J.T.! As God is my witness, they’re broken in half!

Casanova finally sits up, blood running from his lips and nostrils, but with a smile still on his face. He kicks Emmy’s legs off of him and rolls to his side, grabbing the cage wall with both hands to pull himself up. His ascent is a methodical process, but Emmy still remains motionless as he gets several feet up the cage wall, almost as if he knows he can take his time. Then, through some miraculous means, Emmanuelle forces herself into a seated position. She groggily looks up to see Casanova making progress and forces her body into action.

She starts to climb before English becomes aware of her ascent, but this time as she draws near him, she continues to climb instead of grabbing at his ankles. Finally Casanova sees her and quickly attempts to dislodge her from the cage wall with a kick, but Emmanuelle manages to catch his leg under her arm and slam his knee against the steel. She rams English’s appendage against the cage a few more times, hampering his ability to climb. Then as she reaches even ground with him, Emmanuelle grabs one of Casanova’s arms and forces it behind his back…she kicks off the cage wall and….Rodeo Driver off the side of the structure!

It’s a miracle that Casanova’s neck isn’t broken after that landing, but it’s still more than enough to give Emmanuelle the slightest of edges in this violent race. Having braced for her own impact, The Platinum Standard is able to begin her climb once again, leaving Casanova motionless on the floor beneath her.

TREY BOOKER: This is it! It’s Emmy’s to win here!

J.T. PRICE: I’m in pain just from watching that move!

With her body aching, Emmanuelle pulls herself upward, drawing ever closer to the top of the structure. Back on the floor, it looks as if English is completely out, when he suddenly sits up like the dead coming to life! He doesn’t have much left, but that doesn’t stop him from starting his own climb, desperate to catch up with Emmanuelle. It’s a race to the top but Emmanuelle has a decent lead as she nears the top.

With a worried glance, she looks over to see the briefcase hanging just out of arm’s reach. She knows it’s a desperate move, but with Casanova gaining ground, she leaps off the cage wall and wraps her arms around the suspended briefcase…but it doesn’t fall! Emmanuelle is now suspended high above, hugging the prize with both arms, as Casanova draws near. Seeing her on the verge of winning, he makes his own desperation move, leaping off the side of the cage to grab her by the waist….

Suddenly both competitors are weightless as Casanova pulls Emmanuelle downwards, effectively powerbombing her in midair! They both crash at the floor of the structure in a disturbing heap, but the sudden force and added weight didn’t just pull Emmanuelle away from the briefcase…it pulled the briefcase from the cable that suspended it! With the prize still tucked tightly in her arms…the referee finally calls for the bell…

DING! DING! DING!

HOLLY PEREZ: YOUR WINNER OF THE MATCH…FOR THE SECOND YEAR IN A ROW…EMMANUELLE!!!

Medical staff are quick to enter the final section of the Gates of Hell to tend to both competitors as the crowd gives them a standing ovation. It takes several moments before Emmanuelle can realize what’s happened until she finally stands, supported on either side by a Project: Honor official, and she raises the briefcase and its mystery contents high in the air! As she celebrates her victory, Casanova leans against the cage wall, his half-open eyes staring at Emmanuelle with a look that could kill…a potential sign that things are not yet finished between the two of them…

TREY BOOKER: Unbelievable! Despite a tremendous performance by Casanova English, Emmanuelle is now a two-time winner of The Gates of Hell!

J.T. PRICE: But she’s never going to be the same, Trey! I’m not sure any of them will be after tonight!

TREY BOOKER: We saw an amazing performance by the young rookie, Declan O’Connor, and a renewed fighting spirit from Stella Jade…but tonight Emmanuelle stands tall!

J.T. PRICE: Whatever’s in that briefcase had better be good…

TREY BOOKER: I’m sure it is, and we’ll find out in just two short weeks when the contents of that briefcase are revealed during Project Underground’s Emergence Pay-Per-View!




With the main event we go backstage to Crystal Ward one final time, as she’s standing by with one of tonight’s victors. Still sweating profusely, it’s none other than The Sultan of Spice, Serrano Poblano.

CRYSTAL WARD: Congratulations on your successful title defense tonight, Serrano. It seems to me like you owe a great deal of gratitude to your fellow KaVengers…

SERRANO POBLANO: No doubt, baby! I made the mistake of taking a huuuuuge dump after ingesting my secret serum so it’s been out of my system for days. Thankfully, Noah was able to rescue the rest of the KaVengers from Dafoe’s Dungeon and Percy united them just in time. That’s the power of friendship, baby!

Crystal prepares to ask the Triple A champion a question, when he is suddenly struck from behind by a steel chair! The camera spins to reveal John Blade as he tosses the chair aside.

JOHN BLADE: Big Match John ain’t leaving without some gold!
Now I’m gonna leave Serrano’s ass out in the cold!
Billy may have escaped my wrath earlier tonight,
But now I’m taking back the Triple A without a fight!

Blade then drops on top of Serrano and a referee rushes into the scene, quickly making the count. Blade then grabs the Triple A Title and holds it above his head, leaving Serrano unconscious.

CRYSTAL WARD: And there you have it! Now a four time Triple A Champion…John Blade! Back to you, Trey!


The camera returns to the commentary desk, where there seems to be a disagreement between commentator J.T. Price and the current Legacy Champion, Billy Bennett.

For some reason, she’s in the process of dragging the colour commentator out of his chair, pulling him off the seat and shoving him away before taking his spot at the desk.

The champion slips the headset on and points at J.T., shouting loudly.

BILLY BENNETT: Just stay there! Ya can have your spot back when I’m done with it, alright?

TREY BOOKER: Ladies and gentlemen, it seems we have a special guest commentator for this main event… uhhh… why was that again, Billy?

BILLY BENNETT: Shit, I gotta have a front row seat when my favourite scumbag wins two belts, don’t I? LET’S GO SWINDLE, WOOOOO!

TREY BOOKER: …great.

As Trey attempts to cope with this cursed turn of events, Holly Perez steps into the ring and begins to announce the coming match.

HOLLY PEREZ: This triple threat match is scheduled for two falls, with no count-outs or disqualifications. The competitor who scores the first fall will be awarded the X-Factor Championship. Whoever scores the second and final fall will be awarded the Grand Championship. Coming first to the ring, standing at six-feet-four-inches tall and weighing in at one-hundred-and-ninety-one pounds… he is The Kraken… SWIIIIIIIIIIIINDLE SHEEEEEELLDRAAAAAAAAKKKEEEEE!!!

BILLY BENNETT: BOO-YEAH!

TREY BOOKER: You know, Billy, the ideal commentator is objective above all else.

BILLY BENNETT: Oh, really? Well, FUCK THAT! GET ‘EM, SWINDLE!

“Two-Headed Hydra” by Hoffen begins to play, as Swindle Shelldrake appears at the top of the entrance ramp. There seems to be more cheers from the crowd than one might expect, as large sections of the audience seem to be pulling for the obvious underdog in this match. He pays them no mind, not even pausing on the ramp for effect; instead, Swindle calmly walks forward, head held high and eyes focused entirely on the ring. Sliding under the ropes, he doesn’t showboat or work the crowd, stepping towards the nearest corner and leaning his back on the turnbuckles as steely eyes stare, waiting for his first opponent.

TREY BOOKER: The determination in Swindle’s eyes is obvious! This man knows this is a make-or-break match for his career!

BILLY BENNETT: Ain’t he cute?!?!

TREY BOOKER: Jesus Christ…

HOLLY PEREZ: Next to the ring, they stand at five-feet-nine-inches tall and weigh in at one-hundred-and-sixty-five pounds… they are the current X-Factor Champion… The Shining Star… MYOOOOOOJIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNN!




The lights dim down while the catchy, fast paced rock of RAINBOWS by A9 echoes as a spotlight suddenly appears on a figure on the ramp, with his back turned and begins kneeling. Once the beat finally kicks in, MYOJIN explodes with energy- wearing a masquerade-style mask over his eyes and turns around with a confident smile on his face, raising his arms to soak in the positive reaction from everyone around.

TREY BOOKER: Okay, great, we get it.

With his blonde locks hanging over his face. He then whips his head back, flipping his hair out of his face before excitedly running down the ring before performing a cartwheel and a jump, landing on his feet near ringside!

He climbs up to the apron, grabs a hold of the top rope, and slingshots himself into the ring. MYOJIN performs a somersault roll, landing on his side with a hand on his hip. The other, taking off his mask to reveal his piercing blue eye contacts. He tosses it aside nonchalantly, handing his X-Factor Championship to a ringside official before climbing up the top turnbuckle, tilting his head upward as if he’s looking toward the sky- while the lights mimic stars above. He backflips off, back onto his feet while taking off his flamboyant coat and moving to his corner. The lights go back to normal as he checks his wrist tape. His charismatic smile fading to a more focused expression as he paces back and forth, ready for action.